Racing returns to Central Otago with a twilight programme at Cromwell tomorrow beginning a big weekend of harness action. Racing journalist Jonny Turner has analysed the colliding formlines from both north and south to come up with five horses to follow on day one.
HAROLD HANOVER
Race 4
Being unable to crack the top eight in your past two starts is not generally the best form recommendation.
But circumstances have been totally against Harold Hanover recently.
The pacer has been caught three-wide for most of his past three starts, after breaking through for his maiden victory at Ascot Park.
Harold Hanover doesn’t deserve to be among the favourites for race 4, but he also doesn’t deserve to rate the $34 outsider of the field, as he was in the race’s initial fixed-odds market.
This week, the 5-year-old follows out a fast beginner and strong winning hope in Paradise Valley.
If Harold Hanover can settle in the trail of three back on the inner, he looks at least a top-four or place chance and possibly a cheeky win threat.
Leading reinsman Matthew Williamson jumps in the sulky this week, which can only help the pacer.
At big odds, there are far worse options for a cheeky dollar each-way on Friday.
EUROKASH
Race 5
Tomorrow’s feature trot looks to set up perfectly for Eurokash.
The trotter steps back in grade after taking on group 3 company over a less than ideal sprint trip at Addington.
At Cromwell, Eurokash gets back on grass once more and over the longer trip of 2600m against a field in which he looks very well placed.
With an early scratching, the trotter takes on just four other rivals, few of them having raced at the kind of level Eurokash has in his career.
His 20m handicap looks very workable and Eurokash should take plenty of holding out in his Cromwell raid.
DECEPTIVE LEE
Race 7
For a horse who has been to the fringes of open class, Deceptive Lee looks ideally placed in Friday’s junior drivers’ race.
With early speed to burn and a sweet draw in barrier 4, driver Seth Hill is sure to have his eyes on the early lead.
Over 1800m at Cromwell, there is no better place to be and it should give Deceptive Lee his winning shot.
While his winning strike rate of six from 54 suggests he is far from a certainty, the 7-year-old has raced in strong company in many of those outings.
He’s also placed in two starts from three starts at Cromwell and was unlucky not to win his last start there when a flat tyre cost him as he went down in a stronger grade two starts ago.
MIRACULOUS
Race 8
There looks to be a key ingredient in Miraculous’ quest to break through for a well-deserved win, having last scored in October of last year.
The pacer went down by a small margin in the Wairio Cup when making up plenty of late ground after starting from a 20m handicap.
While the 4-year-old faces the same mark tomorrow, he faces just five other rivals in a field that looks even more suitable.
It should add up to Miraculous getting a big chance to break through after a producing strong form through summer.
Of course the horse must make a good beginning to help his winning chances, but he has been doing exactly that recently.
SECRET AGENT MAN
Race 10
He’s set to start the shortest-priced favourite of the day and deservedly so.
Secret Agent Man has only tasted defeat once in his short career, going down by the barest of margins two starts ago.
The 4-year-old bounced back when dispatching with a handy line up at the same track, despite sitting parked.
The field Secret Agent Man faces this time is a step up from that win, but it looks well within the pacer’s range.
The old saying goes there is no such thing as a good thing, but Secret Agent Man looks as close as you will find at Cromwell.
