Trotter’s big handicap not seen as impediment

Oamaru trotter Pyramid Magic is set to continue rejuvenating his career at Winton today.

The 8yr-old has been in some of the best form of his career recently and won three of his last six starts.

Despite facing the tricky task of beginning from a 40m handicap over 2400m, trainer Phil Williamson cannot see why his trotter cannot win again in race 9.

His 3.01.6 effort from a 60m handicap at Wyndham last year is proof enough for the trainer.

"He has done it before over the same distance off 60m — last year at Wyndham, and he ran a track record."

Pyramid Magic was an impressive winner at Forbury Park last weekend.

He was forced to sprint twice to dodge traffic problems in the final 600m of the event, but it was not enough to stop him winning.

If driver Brad Williamson can work the horse into the race at the right time from his back mark, he will be hard to hold out.

"I think Grey Power and Grace O’Malley are the hardest for him to beat.

"But I think he will round them up again if he gets a similar trip."

Williamson puts Pyramid Magic’s good winter and spring form down to him finding a happy place in the racing grades.

He is a notch below taking on metropolitan-grade trotters at Addington and a notch above the horses he is  racing in Otago and Southland at present.

"He has got a class edge on these horses."He is a nice horse without being of open-class ilk."

Because of that, Williamson has not nominated the 13-win horse for the group 1 Dominion Trot at the New Zealand Cup carnival.

The trainer’s only other starter at today’s meeting is Bobinup in race 1. Though the horse lacks experience and is yet to fully master the trotting gate, her raw ability gives her a good winning show, Williamson said.

"There is a wee bit of a query around her manner, because she has had very little practice, but if she were to trot throughout she will be hard to beat."

West Melton trainer Paul Court has three strong chances entered at today’s meeting.

His unbeaten pacer, Stick Man, looks tough to beat in race 10 despite having drawn the outside of the front line.

Heavens Art in race 2 and Change The Print in race 5 also look strong winning hopes for Court.  

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