Fillies take the floor for their first big dance

An even crop of two year old harness racing fillies will line up tomorrow for their first big target of the season.

The $200,000 Group One Dunstan Sires’ Stakes Two Year Old Fillies Final at Addington should finalise the pecking order for the $100,000 Ace Of Diamonds on the same course at the end of the month.

West Melton trainer Hayden Cullen who’s having a peach of a season, has three quality fillies in tomorrow’s feature – Winelight (Downbytheseaside), General Jen (Captaintreacherous) and Arafura (Sweet Lou).

Winelight appears to be the stable’s best chance drawing the inside of the front row.

“We’re rapt with the draw. She got off the gate in the Harness Million from five and we’ll be looking to lead on her. She was another one of our horses that was quite crook after Ashburton. She’s been treated and back to where she was when she won the Harness Million,” Cullen said.

Cullen labelled Winelight as the stables best bet on Show Day.

General Jen follows out her stable mate out from the second row and should get handy early.

“On paper you would think so. She’s got a lot of gate speed to and led off the arm at Ashburton. She’ll be hard on the back of the one horse (Winelight). She’s a high speed horse and is probably better with one run at them. She’s probably drawn to get that as well.”

Making up the Cullen trio is Arafura who draws the outside of the second row.

“She’s got tons of ability but just lacks a little bit of ringcraft. I think it’s not a bad draw for her. She’ll be able to find her feet early as long as she navigates that first bend. She’s quite a tough filly.”

Classy filly Captains Mistress (Captaintreacherous) trained by Nathan Williamson powered home after getting out late at Ashburton to run General Jen to a head.

She’s drawn two on the second row following out Longview Tui who has shown some gate speed.

“We’ll just have to negotiate a tricky barrier draw. There’s a bit of gate speed there and you could quite easily get shuffled back. We’ll have to see how the one in front of us gets out. It looks as though she gets out good but most of the front line get out pretty quick. She’ll acquit herself well but it’s just a matter of getting the right sort of run.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink