TARRAGINDI
Race 7
He’s big and bold and he’s got the chance to show us how good he can be tomorrow.
Tarragindi was beaten fairly and squarely in his last outing at Winton, but there were enough excuses there to give him a pass mark.
Aimed at this series and with the final on the line, tomorrow is crunch time.
Tarragindi has mixed it at group 1 level and he is on a path to do that again later in the year.
If he is as good as many of us think he is, he should be stepping out and winning his Southern Surge Final.
That’s not to disrespect his opposition, as there are some handy horses in there. But if he really is all class, trotting fans would love to see it when it counts.
SHES CRUNCHY
Race 8
She’s unbeaten and she’s classy.
The 3-year-old will put that unbeaten record on the line in her Southern Surge Final.
Shes Crunchy is in a match race with key rival Saucy Delight who has gone two from two in his Southern Surge heat assignments.
Though the winning chances certainly don’t end with just these two, what happens early between the pair will be crucial.
Shes Crunchy has drawn inside Saucy Delight who has proven in his short career he’s an out-and-out leader.
It should be a great battle and a fascinating race and, going into it, Shes Crunchy deserves to be the No1 seed.
SHARE A DREAM
Race 10
Share A Dream is fast, really fast.
And the Gore straight is long, longer than most in Southland. It sounds like a great combination and it should be.
The 4-year-old has been outstanding recently including claiming another big race prize — a Winter Rewards Final.
This time it is harder, though, as Share A Dream is racing horses realistically around two grades higher. And he hasn’t drawn perfectly in barrier 7.
Despite those factors, he should be rushing home especially if the final is run at a genuine clip.
RANGITATA
Race 3
Rangitata is as close as fans will find to a good thing.
She’s already beaten the same field of rivals in her brilliant debut win in the first round of heats at Winton. The problem for her rivals is that she’s only likely to be better for that first test under race-day pressure.
While it will be hard for many to get too excited about her $1.35 win odds, she’ll have plenty of supporters in multi, quinella and trifecta takers.
Trotting purists can also watch on and assess whether Rangitata has the capability to go on to the quality 3-year-old trotting fillies’ races ahead.
Right now, she looks capable of doing just that.
ALWAYS DREAMING
Race 11
Sometimes harness racing isn’t that hard, from a form perspective.
I have already written this week about how Always Dreaming beat all of his Southern Surge Final rivals when he won his heat at Ascot Park.
He even did it from the same draw over the same distance.
Why can’t he come to Gore fitter and ready to do it again?
The only surprise building into his final is that he opened at a $2.40 win price, when there was a case to have him much shorter.
He’s racing quality horses and it’s not just a turn up and win job, but he’s a deserving top pick.
