Next step for Kawatiri Trev

Canterbury trained trotter Kawatiri Trev (Marcoola) steps into group harness racing racing for the first time tomorrow night but that isn’t fazing master trotting trainer Paul Nairn.

“It’ll be a test but I’d like to think he’ll be able to compete with that good one of Brent Lilley’s (Kyvalley Ray) and the one of Dunn’s (Petite Armour) but it’s up to the horse,” Nairn said.

The three years old who runs in the 2700 metre G1 $100,000 Breckon Farms Northern Trotting Derby has won his last three starts and handled the Auckland way round like a pro in his last win.

“He went well last week and I think he’ll be better for being here another week. He seems to stay well in his work at home and in his races. He won over 2600 at Addington. They normally go hard all the way so you need a good stayer to win the race. The night that Tu Tangata (at Addington) got close to him I thought he was going to beat him, but he fought back when he got eye balled.”

Kawatiri Trev is owned by Chris Craddock and is named after one of his relatives, the late Trevor Craddock, a successful West Coast trainer who trained 100 winners. His best two horses were Clifford Jasper and Chiola Reb both of whom won ten. Chiola Reb ran tenth in the 1997 Rowe Cup won by Eastburn Grant.

The three year old’s sire Marcoola won the Derby in 2016 while Nairn has won the feature twice with Above The Stars in 1995 and Kahdon in 2010.

Kawatiri Trev will be driven by Bob Butt.

“With the tactics, I’ll just leave it up to Bob. He’ll assess things. I wouldn’t mind seeing him come off a helmet or two in front.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink