Reid has a strong hand to play

Recently relocated northern harness racing trainer Steven Reid has some strong chances on ‘Aces and Oaks’ night at Addington tomorrow evening.

Reid now trains at Rangiora, having shifting south from Pukekohe.

The ‘Reidman’s’ night starts in Race Three with Bazooka (Bettor’s Delight). His formline is solid but the three year old will have to overcome a wide second row draw in the 1980 metre mobile event.

“The scoring up has been a bit of an issue for him. He broke on Cup trial day, was good on Cup Day but on Show Day he made a break going up behind the gate. I’m reasonably confident that we’ve sorted that. I’ve changed a bit of gear but I’m going to have a talk to the driver (Sam Ottley). The horse is a little bit immature physically and mentally. He’s got a sh.. load of ability. I really rate him and he could develop into a very good horse but he’s done this all the way through. He can sometimes do it in work at home. He loses concentration and panics about where to put his feet,” Reid said.

He added that Bazooka needs to be right on the gate at the start.

“You can’t have him chasing the gate too much.”

In the Ian Dobson Memorial – Three Year Old Classic, Reid has two runners – Shake A Leg (Downbytheseaside) and Next Level (Bettor’s Delight).

Shake A Leg has been back to the trials after running third on Show Day. He draws one on Friday night and he has had issues from behind the gate too.

“He’s had fifteen starts at Alexandra Park and has never put a foot wrong. He’s had two starts down here and he too didn’t score up probably. I’m hoping with him it was just Cup Day with the big crowd and that he just got a bit overawed by it all. He was back at the trials the other day and was perfect. I had him in the Bazooka race but he never got a start, so he’s probably going around in a race where there are going to be three or four that’ll be too strong for him.”

Reid’s other runner Next Level, also gets a nice marble at three.

“He’s a very nice horse. In the past he’s had issues with tying up, hence why he’s gone a couple of indifferent runs. What he needs is a bit of racing and he’s getting that now. I expect him to go a good race and a top three or four placing. I think he’ll be even better in the Derby next week. As a four year old he’s going to really step up.”

Coastal Babe (Downbytheseaside) is the stable runner in the Tennant Engineering New Zealand Pacing Oaks.

After leading in ‘The Velocity’ she got run down by a strong group of male pacers. She draws four in tomorrow’s 2600 metres three year old fillies feature.

“I thought there was a massive chance that she just blew out in ‘The Velocity’. She hadn’t raced for five weeks and I’d only had her back for seven days. When Matty White let her run across the top she put three lengths on them, then all of a sudden at the 100 she just capitulated. It made me sort of think that she may not have been quite ready for the run she had.”

Reid says Coastal Babe’s work since that run has been good.

“She’s drawn four and I can’t fault how she’s come on. Is she as good at Treacherous Baby or Duchess Megxit? Maybe not. She’s got the draw to be in front of those two and I rate her a really good chance.”

Nothing But You (Captaintreacherous) is the least experienced runner in the $100,000 Group One Renwick Farms The Ace Of Diamonds. She’s drawn the outside of the front row and will be driven by Blair Orange.

“He’s driven her a couple of times and he’s led me to believe that she’s a filly on the improve. She’s still going to be better by the middle of next season. She could have raced last time in but testimony to John Curtin who owns her. He told me to turn her out. That’s been the winning for her. Blair said to me last night (Tuesday) that if she had any luck she could be a top four chance so he must rate her a little bit.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink