Harness Jewels-winning pacer Pat’s Delight is set to start a hot favourite in tomorrow’s Tuapeka Cup at Forbury Park.
The Canterbury pacer races for the first time since his sensational Jewels win at Cambridge in June.
TAB bookmakers will today open Pat’s Delight a $1.35 fixed-odds win favourite for the 2700m feature.
The biggest challenge for the group 1 winner could be facing his first standing start. But punters can take confidence from the clean getaways he has made in all three of his recent trials.
Bookmakers rate trainer-driver Nathan Williamson’s Franco Santino the best chance to beat Pat’s Delight.
The 4yr-old, who is seeking a hat-trick of wins, is set to open at $4.50 odds when markets are released.
Oamaru reinsman Matthew Williamson was spoilt for choice in his drives. Williamson was forced to choose between several of his regular drives grouped in the same races.
He drives Tiziano for trainer Hamish Hunter in the Tuapeka Cup.
Williamson said she was a solid place chance who would appreciate a strong 2700m staying test.
The driver rates Hunter’s Iwanadancewitsumbody a good winning prospect in race 5.
"She should be really hard to beat in what is not a strong field."
Hunter and Williamson also combine with Vin Scully in race 10.
"Hopefully he has taken benefit from his first-up run. He is a chance but he has just got a bad draw so he is probably more of a place chance."
Williamson is looking to start his day in the best possible way with maidener Fanny Hill in race 1. The trotter, trained by his father, Phil, won at the Oamaru trials on Wednesday in preparation for her debut
"She is a nice filly and she has a nice turn of foot, so I think she will be hard to beat. Her manners have been good in her trials, so hopefully she will be good again at the races."
Williamson drives three strong chances for Russley trainer Brad Mowbray. The first of those is in race 2 with Sharnae.
"Her first standing start is a little bit of a worry, but she is dropping back from Canterbury races so she has to be an each-way chance."
Sweet Mary takes on Pat’s Delight’s stablemates, Buzinga and Flyin Milly Mac, for the Mowbray-Williamson combination in race 7.
"She is going well, but it is a tricky race with the small field," Williamson said.
"If she got a good trip, she would be hard to beat."
The pair’s third entrant is Gypsy’s Choice, in race 9.
"She has no gate speed, so that draw won’t affect her too badly. With any sort of luck she should be right there."
Williamson teams with another Canterbury raider, He’s A Ladies Man, in race 3.
The horse went a huge race for fifth behind the promising Ultimate Sniper at Addington last week.
"Ability-wise, I think he is the best horse in the race, so I think he should be hard to beat."
