Sweet Lou mare hard to beat

The real Sweet Belle (Sweet Lou) is back and she’s a winning threat at Addington on Thursday night. A top level three-year-old filly of last season, the four-year-old had been down on her best form before delivering a tough second up harness racing victory in her latest outing.

The win was a case of the mare leaving her seasonal issues behind her in the spring and summer and getting back to feeling her usual self in the cooler winter months.

“When she came back in the first time had seasonal problems all the time and she was just a bit hard on herself,” trainer-driver Gerard O’Reilly said.

“It showed in her racing, so we gave her a spell and she has come back how she should be.”

With the mare clearly back on her game there looks no reason she can’t run another good race in race 4 on Thursday night.

Though Sweet Belle steps up in grade she has a workable draw in barrier 5.

“It is a nice even field again, so if she gets a nice run close to the pace she should be in it.”

O’Reilly also combines with the consistent Morrisey (Big Jim) for the Geoff and James Dunn stable in race 9.

After a run of tricky draws the pacers has landed a major upgrade in barrier 2.

“He has been a good buy for the Dunn team.”

“He has gone good races right the way through.”

“He has had to follow them in his last few starts which has been good for him, it has got his confidence up.”

“He has drawn 2, we will see what happens, he could go forward a wee bit.”

“If he gets in behind the right one he should be right in the money again.”

O’Reilly also drives the Graham Court trained Beach Hopper (Somebeachsomewhere) in race 3.

The pacer has trialled well ahead of his debut from barrier 6 over the 1980m sprint trip.

“He is not the worst, he has trialled good.”

“He has drawn wide so he is probably going to have to go back and settle in amongst them.”

“It is a tidy wee field, but if he can finish it off he could be a first four chance.”

“He might need a few favours, but he did trial nicely.”

O’Reilly will head back to Addington on Sunday where he lines up Mikis Shineing Star (Always B Miki) and takes six outside drives.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Jonny Turner, for Harness Racing New Zealand