Former Northern mare Maid Of Steel gets a perfect opportunity to recapture her best form at Ashburton today.
The new recruit to Andrew Carston’s Riccarton stable takes on a field of five open handicappers in race 3.
"I haven’t done a lot with her, but her work has been good and she looks great," Carston said.
"To be fair, her recent form isn’t good but she’s been up against stronger fields. This looks a winnable race."
Though the former Tony Pike-trained mare takes on a small field, her rivals are of quality and the weight variations are wide. Top weight and early favourite Riding Shotgun will carry 60kg with Alysha Collett aboard. At the opposite end of the weight scale, The Real Deal will carry just 50kg thanks to apprentice BB Hong’s 4kg claim.
Another former North Island galloper in Platinum Raider will also debut for Carston in race 2.
"She’s a mare I had here last year going into the carnival and I quite liked her," the trainer said.
"She’s had three runs this preparation for Lisa [Latta] and there was merit in all three. She came here in good order and her work has been sound."
Carston is also keen on the chances of Madam Swiss in trace 5 today.
"I really like her and hopefully she’ll be a guineas filly over the summer," he said.
• Driver Mark Purdon’s appeal against his recent 26-day suspension from the sulky will be heard today.
The suspension was handed down after his drive on Ultimate Machete in the
Golden Nugget on Interdominion final night in Perth. Purdon is appealing both the conviction and the severity of the suspension. A lesser penalty could free him to drive Vincent in the Auckland Cup on New Year’s Eve and Lazarus in his next start in Western Australia on January 5.
— NZ Racing Desk/Jonny Turner
