After a great day of racing at Omakau yesterday, the Central Otago Summer Circuit heads to Roxburgh tomorrow. Traditionally the tight-turning Roxburgh track has been one that suits some horses a lot better than others.
Racing journalist Jonny Turner has delved into the form to find who he thinks will have the game and the gait to win.
Always Dreaming
Everything about this pacer’s Gore Cup win suggests he will take all sorts of stopping in the Roxburgh Cup.
For starters, Always Dreaming powered away from a quality field.
But importantly, he made a flying beginning to quickly make up his handicap and find the lead.
If he can do the same at Roxburgh he will take all sorts of holding out.
The field he faces tomorrow might rate a touch stronger than the one he faced at Gore, but given he bolted in there, Always Dreaming probably won’t have to go any better to be very hard to beat again.
Clotilde Wainwright
A strong second in the Gore Trotters Cup points to this promising mare being able to continue her outstanding form at Roxburgh.
Clotilde Wainwright had to work hard to find the lead in the middle stages of her last start, which proved to be a telling factor when she was downed by Jimmy Carter.
But it still rates excellent form to bring to the fast-class trot tomorrow.
Jimmy Carter was far from disgraced when he ran third in group 3 company at Omakau yesterday.
Similarly to her stablemate Always Dreaming, Clotilde Wainwright probably just has to go as well as she did in her last start to be tough to stop.
B B Crunch
Few young pacers deserve a victory quite like this 3-year-old does.
She’s taken on strong fields throughout her career and gone close in some grade races without quite grabbing a victory.
That looks set to change on her trip to Roxburgh.
Competitive against quality 2-year-old fillies, B B Crunch stepped back into a maiden fillies and mares field in her last start at Gore.
But even there she ran into another classy type and copped a horror draw.
After working hard she ran a game second, pointing to a next-up win which she can secure tomorrow.
Transonic
This 4-year-old looks quite clearly to be the best horse in his Roxburgh assignment.
The saying goes that there’s no such thing as a good thing in racing and Transonic is a fine example.
Firstly he has to contend with the tight-turning Roxburgh track after racing a little greenly in his big last start second at Ascot Park.
And secondly the pacer will have to overcome drawing barrier 1 on the second row for driver Nikita Burton.
If he does everything right and gets a clear path, Transonic’s class should shine through.
He’s competing in a junior drivers race where there should be a fast pace and a few gaps opening up, which looks one major plus.
Mor Moonlight
This looks like another case of being the best horse in the race, but with a couple of caveats for punters.
This promising youngster comes to Roxburgh after a powerful feature race win at Ashburton.
She won’t have to produce much more to be very hard to beat tomorrow.
Mor Moonlight has to handle the Roxburgh track and bring her best manners, plus she will have a new driver on board in Daniel Anderson.
While there are a few factors to consider, she still stands above her rivals as clearly the horse to beat.
