Mitchell has two for Addington

Elgin harness racing trainer David Mitchell will float Song Sung Blue (Sweet Lou) and Deceptive Lee (Captaintreacherous) to Addington tomorrow for the Autumn Premier Rewards meeting.

Song Sung Blue starts in the second heat of the Garrards Sires’ Stakes and is drawn to get a good run if favourite Chase A Dream (Captaintreacherous) uses his draw and leads.

“There’s a lot of room for improvement yet. He’s been a bit of a leggy type who has taken his time to fill out. He’s got good speed and very good gate speed. Anything he does on Friday he should improve on,” Mitchell said.

After Friday night’s race Mitchell will head south to the Winton meeting the following Saturday to contest the last heat of the Alabar Southern Supremacy Series before tackling the G2 $60,000 Final a week later at Ascot Park.

Deceptive Lee faces a strong field of intermediate grade pacers in Race Four and comes into barrier five after a scratching. He last started at the Wairio meeting at Winton in February and he won at the Ashburton trials last week.

“It was a slow time, but he went okay with some good sectionals. I’d say he may be a run short. He’ll head down south on Saturday (for the Winton Cup) and hopefully get a piece of it and qualify for the Southern Country Cups Final.”

Commencing as a trainer in 1993, Mitchell has trained 127 winners – yesterday being his latest with Sinai Sermon (Bettor’s Delight) at his local meeting at Timaru. The four year old entire is a full brother to Lazarus.

Days Of Courage (Courage Under Fire) has been his best to date, winning eleven racing including the 2006 Three Year Old Stakes in Auckland. Other good winners from the stable have been Mr Midnight (Elsu) nine, Thumper (Power Bunny) eight, Asian Elvis (Rocknroll Hanover) six and Provocative Prince (Grinfromeartoear) six.

“Training’s been a good hobby and a couple of years ago I went full time at it.  But now I’m cruising along and it’s a hobby again.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink