Smart Southerners head North

Two of Southland’s better pacers, Captain Tom (Captaintreacherous) and Tact McLeod (Sweet Lou) are heading to harness racing HQ for Friday night’s (Feb. 10) harness racing at Addington.

Captain Tom has a tricky draw in the Avon City Ford Mobile Pace and driver Nathan Williamson will have to work the gelding off the inside of the second row at some point in the 1980 sprint race.

“He’s a lovely horse. It’s his first start at Addington and I’m sure he’ll acquit himself well. It’s a tricky draw but he’ll be running on at the finish. We gave him a training run at Ascot Park last week going the Auckland way round, and he handled that well and felt good,” Williamson said.

After Friday’s run trainer Alister Black will float the gelding up to Auckland where the Group Two Alabar Classic on 3rd March and the Group One Great Northern Derby are on his race programme.

Williamson also pairs up with the Trevor Proctor trained Tact McLeod who was an impressive five and a quarter length debut winner at the Central Southland Raceway at the end of last month.

“He’s a lovely big horse but he’s still very green. But the ability is there. He’s got the all round game, he’s just lacking the ringcraft at this stage and what he’s done has been on pure ability.  It’ll be interesting to see how he acquits himself because it’s a pretty nice field so he’ll need to step up a bit.” he said.

Friday night will also give Williamson a double shot at getting to 1,000 New Zealand race day winners.

Captain Tom and Tact McLeod will be joined by a handful of other Southland trained horses. 

Macandrew Aviator (Panspacificflight) will start in the Free for All. Miki Knows (Always B Miki) and De La Renta (A Rocknroll Dance) will compete in the same race as Captain Tom while Joes Rock (Racing Hill) will line up in the $90,000 Group One New Zealand Standardbred Breeders Stakes.

In relation to Joes Rock Gray said, “At her last start it was the first time in her career we’ve run her out of the gate. We just got bombed late with Jonny’s one (Folklore) who came back the following week and destroyed all those good mares. 2600 metres will suit Joes Rock. We’re coming in fresh so that’s why I missed the first mares race.”

For complete race entries, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink