The sheer speed of his rivals may help Bolt For Brilliance beat them in the trot of the NZ season so far at Alexandra Park tonight.
The $85,000 Sales Series Trot is being run six months later than scheduled, postponed like so many of the age group races late last season because of the first lockdown.
It has been a blessing for the race as it brings together five stronger, more mature young trotters heading for open class, with Bolt For Brilliance, Cracker Hill and Ultimate Stride chances to end up being the best trotters in the country.
Bolt For Brilliance actually beat the southern pair 16 months ago at the Harness Jewels and has been brilliant this campaign, breaking 56 seconds for his last 800m when coming wide, a time more often associated with good pacers.
But Bolt For Brilliance can also look goofy, like last start when he wandered up and down the track racing in third spot before powering up to beat Temporale, a genuine open class force.
“He can muck around a bit like that,” admits champion trainer-driver Tony Herlihy (pictured).
“He was moving up and down the track last time but when I clicked him up and asked him to go he actually trotted better and straighter. So I think he is better the faster he goes.”
That is one thing that looks assured tonight, a genuine speed as Cracker Hill is an early flyer while Ultimate Stride (pcitured) is a superb stayer and the 2200m mobile should be run at a true tempo.
Providing he behaves himself at the start, which Herlihy thinks Bolt For Brilliance will do, he should be able to track the southerners and the faster they go the better he may concentrate.
If that proves to be the case and Bolt For Brilliance is totally dialled in tonight he should beat them, especially with the advantage of being on his home track right-handed, which is all new to the visitors.
Punters could have been forgiven for thinking the north’s best pacer Copy That was actually a visitor on his home track last start as he crabbed around the last bend and probably cost himself beating Mach Shard in the Spring Cup.
Much the same field contests the Kerry Hoggard Memorial Holmes D G over 2700m tonight and Copy That should be fitter, with trainer Ray Green blaming himself for maybe having the star four-year-old too fresh.
On raw talent he looks too special for most of his local rivals, although Mach Shard reminded up how good he was winning last start and there have been flashes of class from Triple Eight, Star Galleria and even newcomer South Coast Arden this spring.
The best version of Copy That should win but being off the inside draw on a 30m handicap raises the possibility he may have to come from behind some very smart horses over the last 800m tonight and that suggests his $1.65 quote is too short for a horse who found a way to get beaten last start.
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