Steve Ashton has latched on to a successful formula with Better To Be Bad, and he hopes it keeps working at Rangiora tomorrow.
Ashton has been keeping the 5yr-old Badlands Hanover mare fit with what might seem an obvious solution - racing. It has been working a treat for the Portobello trainer, as Better To Be Bad backed up her Southern Belle Speed Series win last month with an impressive 1-length second behind Elusive Chick at Addington on Saturday.
The run impressed driver Dexter Dunn so much, he was keen to to take the drive in the $25,000 Canterbury Country Cups Final tomorrow, but Ashton had to honour his word with Robbie Holmes.
''Dexter jumped off her and said she went huge on a 55.9 half.''
While Better To Be Bad has proved to be as tough as any mare in the South Island this season, Ashton just wants a soft run into the race, especially as she starts off a 20m handicap.
''If we get a drag up, it won't be a problem but we don't want to do all the work again - that's the hardest thing,'' he said.
''As long as the speed is on all the way, we'll finish over the top of them.''
The mare will again start from the unruly position.
''She just gets her head down a wee bit, and she doesn't wear an overcheck, so if we can get her last in [to line], it helps,'' he said.
''She's never really missed away, but it's one of those things we thought we'd try.''
Southwind Arden was down on her best when finishing sixth at Ascot Park late last month, but can bounce back, even off the back mark of 30m. Jackaroo Bromac has found a new lease of life since joining Mark Jones' Burnham stable, and is the main threat off the front line.
Updates
Additional information for meetings today. -
M2 Racing Te Aroha
Rider:
Race 3: Unbeknown - Jonathan Riddell
Scratchings:
Race 2: Flying Captain
Race 3: Klitschko
Race 4: Sinnfonia
Race 5: Whosyourmaster
Race 6: Misstrum
Race 7: Yin Yang Master, Mons Calpe
Weather, fine; track, dead (5) ; rail, true
M6 Canterbury Racing
Rider: Race 2: Raggio Speranza - Danielle Johnson
Scratchings:
Race 2: Why Wait
Race 4: Individual, Sometime Later, Scareaway, Unshimi Wami, Global Partner
Race 8: Natuzzi
Weather, fine; track, good (3); rail out 7m
Natuzzi scratched
Natuzzi has been scratched from the listed Easter Cup at Riccarton today, after he failed to fully recover from a bruise he sustained in work on Tuesday. Trainer Paul Richards said the 4yr-old Coats Choice gelding had developed an abscess in his front right hoof, and was not sound enough to take north to Riccarton for the 1600m race.
