Harness racing at Gore on Sunday starts the southern season in the deep south. With big fields and many horses coming in fresh with little trial and workout form, it will be a difficult to job to pinpoint where each horse is at in terms of picking a winner.
With fields like that it is often better to stick with the bigger stables.
Riversdale trainer Tony Stratford has four runners engaged and all are winning hopes.
Mucho Macho Man is possibly the pick of them as far as ability goes. Tony thought enough of the horse to send him to Auckland for a 2-year-old race as a juvenile where the son of Mach Three finished fifth of six starters in a race at Alexandra Park in December 2015.
Ashleighs Flight, Ted Cady and Deceitndesire are also engaged and all have claims in their individual races.
Blair Orange is making the long trip south to drive three of the Stratford runners and he also has a drive in every race all with good chances. He will be short on the fixed odds drivers book based on the number and class of the horses he is driving.
Blair thinks his best drive at Gore is Really Desirable who has been racing at Forbury Park for her last eight starts. The 4yo mare and daughter of Real Desire has good gate speed and could lead of the gate in a field devoid of race day form.
Harnesslink Media Selections Gore
Race 1: Duchess Grace, Trouble Del, Matai Jetstar, Loxi Clairborne.
Race 2: Harriet Price, Swap Over, Dennis Lillee, Green Fingers
Race 3: Really Desirable, Balius, Sweet As, Backseat Chick
Race 4: Pyramid Magic, Sun's Invasion, The Jinja Ninja, Madam Spur
Race 5: Seduce Me, Ted Cady, Tact Ollie, Thunda Down Unda
Race 6: Mucho Macho Man, Honey Cullen, Ideal Art, Real Love
Race 7: Jetsdream, Risk Factor, Ossessione, Franco Nixon
Race 8: Frank The Tank, Skyfall, Justasip, Raphoe
Race 9: Jabali, Whoosh Factor, Bold Ruler, Pulling The Strings
Best Bet: Frank The Tank(Race 8)
Value Bet: Harriet Price(Race 2)
Harnesslink media