One of the issues at the moment in harness racing in New Zealand is the size of the fields in some of our classic races.
The Muscara Standardbreds New Zealand Derby at Addington on Friday night is a good example having only drawn eight runners which is a shame for the club and the sponsors.
This is our runner by runner preview of this years Muscara Standardbreds New Zealand Derby.
1) Brilliant Strike – Starts: 13 Wins: 6 Secs: 2 Thirds: 3 Life: $57,167
Not suited at all last week when they sprinted home in 54.8 and 26.7
Needs the speed to be on all the way to be a chance of getting amongst it here as he lacks the really high speed of some of his competition.
Great stayer so Ricky May will be hoping they go 3:09 and not 3:13.
Trifecta and first four chance from the draw.
2) Follow The Stars – Starts: 18 Wins: 13 Secs: 4 Thirds: 0 Life: $598,844
Going great guns at the moment and nothing wrong with his last four runs even though he has run second every time.
Drawn inside his nemesis Have Faith In Me this time and should lead and from there will be very hard to beat.
Has a great all round game so able to adapt to whats happening during the race better than most.
One of two winning chances and include in everything.
3) Smithy – Starts: 10 Wins: 3 Secs: 1 Thirds: 0 Life: $23,661
Has always looked a nice horse in the making and last couple of wins haven't surprised us in the least.
Would prefer him over something shorter than this distance and this is a huge step up from what he has been facing.
Hard to see him as a first four player here.
4) Itz Bettor To Win – Starts: 11 Wins: 6 Secs: 2 Thirds: 0 Life: $85,475
Had been in great form leading into the Great Northern Derby and after getting a nice run in transit, he showed nothing when hooked out, stopping badly.
That run was too bad to be true for a horse of his ability and he has been under a cloud since, missing the Flying Stakes last week.
Impressed the stable with his work on Monday which is why he is in the field but lack of recent racing sees him as a trifecta and first four player only.
5) Have Faith In Me – Starts: 11 Wins: 6 Secs: 2 Thirds: 0 Life: $365,381
Just continues to improve every time he steps on the track and is managing to stay one step ahead of his stablemate Follow The Stars.
Should be even better for last weeks run in the Flying Stakes and like all top horses he just seems to be able to find a way to win at the moment.
The only horse here who can beat Follow The Stars if he leads and hard to separate the two in our book.
One of two winning chances and include in everything.
6) Art Union – Starts: 24 Wins: 12 Secs: 5 Thirds: 1 Life: $153,883
Had a real dig for the lead last week and missed and that was the end of his chances in the Flying Stakes.
Has had a long and arduous season so far and it appears to have sapped his energy a wee bit and to us he is not going as good now as he was back in November.
Even with Dexter in the bike, he is only an outside first four chance for us.
7) McArdle Star – Starts: 4 Wins: 3 Secs: 0 Thirds: 1 Life: $16,955
Very patiently handled three year old who has looked well above average in short career to date.
Wouldn't be here if the stable didn't think he was up to it but lack of experience may count against him in this field.
Has run 3:13 for the 2600 metres after doing a power of work and did it easy so a definite first four player for us.
8) Hug The Wind – Starts: 14 Wins: 5 Secs: 6 Thirds: 2 Life: $237,457
Got involved in an early burn last week which caught up with him late in the race.
That was his first run off the place for three weeks and he would have derived a lot of benefit from it.
Just looks half a length down on his two more favoured stablemates but looks to have the wood on all the rest
Third pick for us and hard to see him not running in three.
SELECTIONS
Everything says Follow The Stars will win from the draw and he will be very difficult to beat if as expected he goes straight to the front.
However Have Faith In Me continues to step up and is still on the improve and we think he can once again get the better of Follow The Stars.
There will nothing in it but these two look a couple of lengths better than the rest.
Third looks just as clear cut for us with Hug The Wind a length behind the first two but a length in front of the rest.
For first fours throw in Brilliant Strike, Itz Bettor To Win and McArdle Star
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