Northern reinforcements bolster Team Telfer Harness Million attack

It seems only appropriate New Zealand’s biggest buyers of yearlings should have a boosted presence on New Zealand Bloodstock Standardbred Harness Million night.

And Team Telfer haven’t disappointed with re-enforcements flying in from the north to strengthen their numbers for Addington’s massive meeting this Friday.

The dual island training operation of brother Steve and sister Amanda Telfer will have 16 horses at Addington, ranking them alongside the Dalgetys and Team Dunn for the most reps at the mega meeting.

But several of the Telfers runners are new to Addington and bring with them some compelling form lines.

They include two-year-old trotters Tactico and Lipstick Cherry for the $75,000 Harness Million Trot, last Friday’s Alex Park debutante Rolling In It for the Juvenile Fillies Million and exciting three-year-olds Secret Beach in the Flying Stakes and Ride The Waves in the Woodlands Stud Hilarious Guest.

They join the already strong team Amanda has in Canterbury meaning there will be plenty of blue and white chequered colours on show across the meeting.

“It is a strong team but it will have to be as it is a very strong night,” says Steve Telfer.

“Tactico is a trotter we really like think already but we think will be an even better three-year-old and while he and the filly [Lipstick Cherry] meet a strong field we think Tactico in particular will race well down there.”

Secret Beach is an interesting newcomer to the south as Addington should suit him as he joins southern stablemates Sonofamistery and Get Seaside Lucky in taking on Jumal in the Braxton Farriers Flying Stakes.

“We all know how good Jumal is and ours are quite different types of horses from each other.

“Sonofamistery is very quick and will be better for his fresh up run while Secret Beach is a really good stayer and should get better as the races get longer and harder down there.”

Remarkably for a horse who has shown great ability left-handed Secret Beach opened $67 and $6 with the TAB, his win price obviously inflated by the fact most think Jumal will win but his $6 place price has some appeal.

The clash of Ride The Waves versus southern star fillies Cath, Secret Wish and Cherish Me will be one of the bonus highlights of the meeting, even though they only race for $30,000 and not the huge money of some of the other features.

She was enormous in defeat in a seriously competitive Nevele R heat at Alexandra Park last start and has drawn inside the star locals with Cherish Me off the second line in what should be a huge pointer to the major fillies races ahead.

While the TAB did a great job to open most markets on Monday night the Renwick Farms Trotters Classic opened on Tuesday with Habibti Pat a $1.85 favourite as she again gets a 20m head start over Mighty Logan.

To see the Addington fields click here

by Michael Guerin, for Harness Racing New Zealand