Wallis-Hackett gunning for more success

The queen of trotting may have two impressive last-start harness racing winners heading to Alexandra Park tonight but she thinks her rep with the worst form line might end up being the punter’s friend.

Michelle Wallis and husband Bernie Hackett had a career-best season last year when training 57 winners capped by Hillbilly Blues capturing the Group 1 National Trot on New Year’s Eve.

Remarkably of those 57 wins, 55 came in trotting races with the majority at Alexandra Park where it feels like the stable wins a trotting race almost every Friday.

That could well be the case again tonight though Wallis and Hackett only have starters in two races on the small seven-race card.

Both Magic Dash (No 1) and Confessional (No 5) were impressive last-start winners and they clash in tonight’s feature trot, with Magic Dash having the advantage of a front line mark and 20m start over his stablemate.

“Both of them have to be good chances but it is a good little field and could be a really interesting race,” says Wallis.

“Magic Dash has only had two starts back since needing surgery for colic last year but won really well last start and has good manners.

“And Confessional came to us from Paul Nairn because his connections thought he was better right-handed and he handled the track here really well winning last start.

“Magic Dash might have more speed and Confessional’s strength might be his stamina but these small fields can be really hard to predict.”

Also hard to predict has been Final Approach (R2, No 3) who resumes as one of the three stable reps in his race tonight, with the couple’s daughter Crystal Hackett doing the driving.

“We have always really liked him but he lost his way manners-wise last season,” explains Wallis.

“But he has had two workouts this time in and done everything right.

“I’d say if he trots all the way and produces his best on Friday he will be hard to beat.”

Tonight’s meeting also sees the first juvenile pacing fillies race of the northern season and with early favourite As One Wishes scratched with a minor issue the race looks wide open, with manners the likely key.

Another favourite scratched tonight is Sammy Lincoln, who comes out of Race 3 leaving impressive recent workouts winner Ms Collins only needing to do things right to be the one to beat after a promising debut last year as a two-year-old.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand