RUBIRA , apparently unaware of how important racing this Friday was, was forced to miss his engagement at Auckland on Friday after a training mishap but Nathon is fairly hopeful it will not deflect him from future major targets.
“He had a little unplanned exercise in the cart during the week. He is a quirky horse and something like that is always on but the timing could have been better. I don’t think it is serious but the timing is bad and we will monitor him over the next few days”.”
Rubira was the stable’s leading hope in Friday’s $200,000 Harness Millions dominated by a hot favourite in Marketplace and had looked the main threat.Now it is up to DEMON BLUE, THE BETTER DEAL and MIDNIGHT MIKI to carry the stable hopes.
“They are only place chances from the gates anyway and probably MIDNIGHT MIKI ($16) is the best, because he is a tough customer and can make his own luck more than many. He can put himself into the race and you can’t ask for more”
Demon Blue is still not peaking the stable feel but he was better again last week and the stable believes he is nearing better form in the 7.59 clash.
JEAN FEISS has had, by her superlative standards, a quiet time of late but ANDRETTI (8.54)looks like changing that tomorrow as he builds toward the Young Guns Final in a heat on Friday.
Having won trials in both islands and always being rated at home,the market hasn’t missed him at $4.00 on debut in the 8.54 heat and looks one of the two best runners on the night.
LUBY’S LUCK (5.26) another $3.80 favourite has pleased with her work since her last outing and seems a hot hope also.
WITHOUT YOU (7.34) is set a tougher task in the fillies Harness Millions but Nathan feels her latest run was uinderrated,up against Beside Me.
“The other filly is a freak. Ours had to run a quarter in 27 down the back then another 27 home so the run was better than it looked”
CHASE A DREAM has been based with Mark in Matamata and Nathan says reports are positive.
“He was going into last week needing a race and he will need this one too probably but after that going toward the slot race he should be bang on. He has come out of that race extra well” Nathan said.
“Mark came through on Wednesday and drove the team. He was pleased with all of them so that was a boost”
ALECTO (7.44) is making her debut at Addington and has not attracted a lot of betting interest at $11 though she is set for better things and has an ace draw to aid.
VESSEM is having a change of direction as his first target the final of the Country Cup, has ben abandoned.
“It was a tough ask in practice. He was having hard races off handicaps in grass stamina races . It would take him a couple of weeks to get over it then he would go back and the same thing would happen again. So we are going to pick easier for races for him that suit his racing style of strong finishes