The sectional stars from Friday Night Lights

Presenter-driver-trainer Brittany Graham knows a thing or two about racing on both sides of the Tasman and now that the Queenslander is working for Trackside in this country she's (reluctantly) agreed to write a weekly column.

By Brittany Graham 

With so much quality horse flesh stepping out ahead of a big spring, there are often runs in behind the obvious that can be more than meets the eye. Here are some sectional stars from Friday Night Lights last week.

Alexandra Park : 

Race 2 - Change Tact – 55.8, 26.6

Despite finishing sixth in the seven horse junior drivers race at Alexandra Park last Friday, the Matthew White-trained mare was very impressive on the clock. Settling last, she made a late and wide charge when clocking a 26.6second closing 400 metres to only go down by 2.3 lengths in an unsuitably run contest. She lines up in another junior drivers race tonight at Cambridge Raceway (Race 2 at 6.06pm) and a similar effort will see her hard to beat.
 
Race 6 – Hooray Henry – 56.1, 26.8

Lining up after a month between runs, the David Butcher-trained Hooray Henry found himself taking shortcuts early in the short course event he contested at Alexandra Park last Friday. Still last on the turn, he was manoeuvred from five back on the fence to five wide rapidly on the home turn before getting within a length of eventual winner Joes Rock. He loomed ominously before potentially peaking off the freshen in the last 50 metres. With that run under the belt, it should hold him in good stead for his assignment in a similar line up tomorrow night at Alexandra Park (Race 3 at 6.13pm).
 
Race 9 - Better Knuckle Up – 55.1, 26.9

An early mistake in last week’s Spring Cup cost last year’s Velocity winner a winning hope in his standing start debut. Eventually settling at the rear of the field, he came exceptionally wide on the last bend to take ground off all of his rivals including Merlin. The four-year-old has returned remarkably well in three runs back and continues to record outstanding sectionals. He looks primed for some big race targets down South including The Christian Cullen on November 21 where he is the $6 third favourite with the TAB.
 
Addington :

Race 8 - Zeus Lightning – 1.56.4, 54.2, 26.1, 28.1

It is unsurprising that the Hayden and Amada Cullen trainee has made this week’s sectional star list after a runner up performance of gigantic proportions. After being quite ungainly early and proving hard to steer for Blair Orange in the initial stages, Zeus Lightning then settled at the back of the high-quality juvenile field. He exploded down the back straight in a personal third quarter of 26.1seconds, before continuing to fight to the line in running unbeaten colt Jumal to less than a length. Still learning his trade with only three career starts, he is a serious contender in the upcoming features if he can iron out his early greenness.
 
Race 10 - Rubira – 55.2, 26.8

It looked like an imposing task for Rubira off 30metres taking on some class older rivals, but in defeat, the Queensland Derby winner may have garnered even more fans. Settling at the tail of the field after a safe but steady start, the lone three-year-old in the contest spotted eventual victor Arthur Shelby 10 lengths at the 400 metre mark. A dazzling show of speed six and seven wide around the final bend saw the beaten margin recorded only two lengths.
His rivalry with Marketplace reignites in the Lazarus Stakes on Friday at Addington (Race 6 at 7.34pm) where he brings race fitness and a better barrier draw than his more favoured foe.