Ruby Ridge one of a number of chances for the Blanchard team

The Pukekohe training partnership of Peter and Vaughan Blanchard have a team of four harness racing runners tonight at Cambridge Raceway, all with good each way chances.

All four of the stable’s horses raced at Cambridge last Tuesday, with Ultimate Mach scoring his maiden victory and stable mate Always B Mine finishing second just 0.75 lengths behind him.

“They’ve all been racing well and start tonight off the back of good performances last week,” said Blanchard “Always B Mine is up first and he raced well last week and has worked good since but he has a few tricks up his sleeve and once again doesn’t have a great starting draw (7).”

The four-year-old gelding has had just five starts to date with his second placing last week being his best performance to date. In that race he also started from barrier seven, with driver Peter Ferguson opting to take all the short cuts and settling three back on the fence in running, and although briefly held up on the final bend, Always B Mine ran on nicely once obtaining a run up the passing lane. He is driven again tonight by Ferguson in the Lewis Lawyers Mobile Pace over 2200 metres.

“Ultimate Mach has trained on well after his win and seems really well in himself, he’s another with a few tricks but does have some ability and I think he’s capable of another good race tonight” says Blanchard.

Ultimate Mach won his maiden race comfortably last week, when starting from the ace draw, he led from start to finish in the hands of Andre Poutama indicating he is capable of being competitive as he steps up in grade tonight. Also driven by Ferguson, Ultimate Mach starts in the Betavet Buildagut Mobile Pace from barrier five.

In the 2200 metres Dunstan Horsefeeds Mobile Trot the Blanchard partnership start Ruby Ridge, a winner of seven races at this course, five of those over this distance and three from a mobile start. The Majestic Son mare finished second behind Mazeppa here last week.

“She loves a mobile start and is a very fast beginner, the last mobile start she raced in she won,” says Blanchard, “I think she’s probably one of our better chances tonight, prior to last week she’d had a bit of a freshen up and raced well, and she’s actually now in foal so we will only have a couple more starts with her and it would be really nice to get another win with her.”

“Our other trotter racing tonight, Patrick Mahomes, is very consistent but hasn’t drawn so well starting from six, although he can hold his own off the mobile,” says Blanchard.

The four-year-old by Father Patrick hasn’t finished worse than fifth place in his past six starts, and his two wins have both come at Cambridge Raceway over the 2200 metre journey. He finished fourth there last week, when just 1.2 lengths off race winner Castana. Tonight, Patrick Mahomes starts in the Gavelhouse.com Mobile Trot and is driven by Peter Ferguson.

Racing gets underway tonight at 4:55pm.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Brigette Solomon, for Harness Racing New Zealand