Big dollars – big names

The first of the big money meetings this spring will be held at Addington on Friday night with $720,000 in stakes spread across the twelve races and most of the big named horses in attendance.

Northerners Apollo Eleven, Ride The Waves and Lucky Luka will get to measure themselves against their southern counterparts while some on the fringe of making the Dominion with be looking to pick up points to make the cut.

In the $150,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million for Two Year Old fillies I’m The Boss (Bettor’s Delight) gets a nice draw at two and appears to be a class above her seven rivals.

Northern trotter Apollo Eleven (Bold Eagle) fronts up in the south for the first time in the $75,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million for Two Year Old trotters.

He’s won three of his four starts and draws handy at four. His main opposition will be the unbeaten Eyes Wide Open, (What The Hill) drawing wide at seven. If  talented Duke Of Bourbon (Face Time Bourbon) wants to win it’ll have to be from the outside of the second row.

Amaretto Franco, Utah Jazz and Chicago Sky look like good chances in the $50,000 Listed NZB Standardbred Southern Mares Classic.

The Braxton Farriers $100,000 Flying Stakes for Three Year Old colts and geldings looks to be Jumal’s (Downbytheseaside) to lose. Franco Lomu (Bettor’s Delight) who was within a nose of Jumal at his last start could get the trail if Jumal goes forward from the gate and leads.

Habibti Pat (Father Patrick) at four on the front row, has a good handicap advantage over her better assessed rivals in the $40,000 Group Three Renwick Farms Trotters Classic. Prestigious (Majestic Son) was huge last week and will be looking to progress up the Dominion leaderboard.

Tour Party (Bettor’s Delight) gets a big draw advantage in the $200,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million for Two Year Old colts and geldings. His main rivals Faith Not Fear (Captaintreacherous) and northerner Lucky Luka (Bettor’s Delight) have drawn the second row.

Northern filly Ride The Waves (Downbytheseaside) will get to face some quality southern three year old fillies in Cath, Secret Wish, Songs Of Seas and Cherish Me in the $30,000 Hilarious Guest Three Year Old Fillies Classic and this should tell her connections where she sits in the pecking order.

Up north at Alexandra Park there are two $30,000 finals of the Metro series with good field sizes.

Maro Mackendon (Muscle Mass) is a likely winner of the trotters final and War Chief (Captaintreacherous) will likely take out the pacers final.

Meanwhile in the south on Thursday at the Northern Southland meeting, quality three year old pacers Cruise Maguire (Always B Miki) and Side Hustle (Always B Miki) return after a break, as does three year old trotting filly Delphyne (Sundon) who has won her last three starts.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink