This seasons harness racing two year olds have been competing in heats of the Young Guns series since before Xmas and the best of both the colts and fillies run in their respective finals on Friday night..
We plan to preview them both and first up is the colts and geldings final.
$100,000 Young Guns Colts and Geldings Final
1) Lazarus – Colt by Bettors Delight – Trainers – Mark Purdon * Natalie Rasmussen
Two starts for two wins late last year stamped this colt as a very smart juvenile.
In both of his races Lazarus drew badly but on both occasions he overcame the draw to win in style.
After a short break he can be expected to come back even better and looms as one of the two leading chances, especially from the draw.
2) El Jacko – Gelding by Elsu – Trainers – Logan Hollis * Shane Robertson
Two starts in his debut season for two sixths.
Hasn't disgraced himself in either race but hasn't threatened the placegetters either
Hard to make a case for him as a first four player.
3) Code Black – Colt by Bettors Delight – Trainer – Robert Dunn
One of the more experienced horses in the final with his four starts yielding one win and two fourths.
Has beaten most of the field at various times this season outside of the two favourites.
Definite trifecta and first four player but hard to see him beating the All Stars pair.
4) Max Phactor – Colt by Art Major – Trainer – Mike Berger
Beat the older horses on debut at Cambridge in the first of his four starts this season.
Has been competitive but not compelling in his three races since.
Does have good gate speed but hard to see him finding the front with Lazarus drawn inside of him.
Has yet to beat Walkinshaw in three attempts so hard to see him beating the favoured pair here.
First four player only for us.
5) Chase The Dream – Colt by Bettors Delight – Trainers – Mark Purdon * Natalie Rasmussen
Stunning debut win at Ashburton in the Sapling Stakes in 1:54.8 was followed by an equally impressive win last week at Alexandra Park where after being last early, he looped the field midrace and then ran away and hid in the straight in a 1:57.3 mile rate.
Has shown real gate speed at trials in Canterbury so can go forward from better draw this week.
One of the two leading chances for us.
6) Walkinshaw – Colt by Mach Three – Trainer – Tony Herlihy
Started the season with a tidy run for fifth first up and has got better with every run since.
Nice win two starts back and smart second to Chase The Dream last week after leading from barrier seven.
Just appears a touch behind the All Stars pair but looks the best of the rest to us.
Tony Herlihy in the bike is a big plus for us.
7) Mach Time – Gelding by Mach Three – Trainers – Steve Telfer * Chris Garlick
Very inexperienced horse who was having his debut run last week when he ran fourth to Chase The Dream.
Held in very high regard by his trainers but draw and lack of raceday experience are big negatives for us.
Can run first four with a run to suit.
8) Dark Energy – Colt by Bettors Delight – Trainer – Tony Herlihy
His two runs to date have resulted in a fourth and a fifth and both times from favourable inside draws.
His draw of eight and the strength of the field makes it very hard to see him as a player here.
Not for us
Selections
The All Stars duo look to have a class edge over this field and the big decision is which one of the two do we favour.
Most pundits are leaning towards Lazarus from the draw, but we have gone with the stablemate Chase The Dream.
His two runs to date have been outstanding and last weeks look at Alexandra Park will have helped him bigtime.
Lazarus has all the ringcraft of a natural two year old and could just as easily beat Chase The Dream but either way there will not be much in it.
Walkinshaw is a clear third for us on the back of his last couple of runs andTony Herlihy in the bike.
For first fours we like Code Black, Max Phactor and Mach Time.
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