Team Negus heads to Addington on Sunday

Veteran harness racing trainer Bruce Negus has six runners on the race card at Addington on Sunday.

In the first race for amateur drivers Negus lines up two runners: Raging On (Raging Bull) and Classie Linc, (Sir Lincoln) and of the two he rates Classie Linc his best chance.

“At her last start the excuse I’m offering is that she had a cold. She’s been treated and should be fully over that. A fully fit and well Classic Linc would be too good for that field. I put her in that race because I didn’t want her to get beaten up again. She’s a delicate flower,” he said.

Raging On will be driven by Negus’s wife Colleen and will start from gate five.

“He’s quite a tidy amateur horse because he’s easy enough to drive and tries reasonably hard with average ability. He’s a place chance in any race but an each way chance in an amateur race.”

In Race Six the stable has a pair of starters in Foveaux Gambler (Betting Line) and Shards Fury (Changeover).

Negus says Foveaux Gambler has been unlucky in his last few starts.

“At his last start he covered a lot of extra ground and went an enormous race. He’s under offer to Australia and he may or may not line up but if he does I regard him as a strong winning chance.”

Seven year old Shards Fury was an upset winner in trying conditions at Ashburton at his last start.

“We bit the bullet with this horse and worked him like we used to work him, and he did respond. He’s an old bludger who will bludge and pull up to a walk and go and have lunch if you let him. He thrives on hard work but it’s difficult for me to get my head around how hard he has to be worked.”

Trotting mare Paige (One Over Da Moon) starts for the stable in Race Seven.

“We took her off the unruly because we thought we couldn’t give this field a start. There’s a little bit of a risk with her but not a big risk.” 

The Negus team finish their race day in Race Eight when Mark Dunnett (He’s Watching) starts from gate four.

“He’s going through the motions at the moment and will need to improve or I’ll be shifting him on. It’s back to a stand which is probably his stronger suit.”

Negus says Classic Linc is the stable’s best bet but the best horse to back is Foveaux Gambler.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink