Brett Gray and Nathan Williamson were both in winning form at Wyndham yesterday, pairing up to deliver Party Up Denario a deserved win.
Both trainers head to Addington tonight, taking up a powerful Southland squad between them.
Gray starts the unbeaten Miki’s Deal in the Caduceus Club Two-Year-Old Fillies Prelude which opens a great night of racing.
Williamson takes a powerful team of five north including Off The Canvas, Palladium, Clotilde Wainwright, Dreams Are Free and Always Dreaming.
Gray and Williamson can head north in winning form after Party Up Denario’s easy win.
The mare was a strong performer through the recent Southern Surge Series and franked that form when speeding to victory for owners the Mic & Dic Syndicate.
"All of her runs this time in have had merit, so she deserved it," Gray said.
"She’s owned by a big syndicate who are keen on golf, so it was great for them.
"They’ve been patient with her. She had the one start last prep and she’s come back in bigger and stronger.
"She seems to have sharpened up to what the racing is all about now, too."
Williamson was back in the winner’s circle at Wyndham when Shes Crunchy extended her unbeaten record to four starts.
The filly was scheduled to fly to Queensland this month to link up with her owners Steve and Donna Skilton.
However, a flight cancellation means she headed to Wyndham as a lead-up to next week’s $50,000 Sires' Stakes Harness 7000 at Addington.
This week’s Southland attack at Addington starts with Miki’s Deal’s quest to also remain unbeaten.
The filly won two group 2 races in her only two starts in the spring and now she has a group1 target in Auckland.
Gray is hopeful Miki’s Deal is in the kind of shape she needs to be to book her ticket north.
"She seems to have come back really well. She is a lovely filly and very straight forward, nothing seems to faze her.
"It will be interesting to see how she measures up against the new fillies that are coming through.
"I have been really happy with her work and she seems really well."
Palladium and Off The Canvas have both trialled well for Williamson before their debuts at Addington tonight.
Both Always Dreaming and Clotilde Wainwright take excellent Southern Surge form north for their assignments.
Dreams Are Free is arguably the trainer’s biggest winning threat, but the pacer must overcome a wide draw against a quality field.
The 4-year-old comes into his Addington mission after an eye-catching ninth in the Kurow Cup.
After missing away in his only start since December, he made up plenty of ground in the home straight before running out of room short of the post.
