Blanchards with good chances as racing returns to Ruakaka

By Michael Guerin

Trainer Vaughan Blanchard says one of their stable’s busiest days of the year wasn’t entirely planned to be that way.

But he still thinks they can come away from Ruakaka with a couple of winners on Monday. 

Blanchard and his father Peter take eight horses to the grass track meeting as harness racing returns to the far north, with most of them at least each way chances. 

“It is a big team for us but it is not really like we targeted the meeting just the way it has worked out,” says Blanchard.

“Obviously it is Night Of Champions at Cambridge this Friday so these horses wouldn’t be going there and we have a few who are backing up from Alexandra Park races and wouldn’t mind something a bit easier.

“So some of them may not be that proven on the grass but this meeting fits in well.”

Blanchard says the two horses who were working the best out of their Ruakaka squad have both drawn tricky assignments today.

“Tipstar (R7, No.8) is a mare we like but has had no luck her last two starts but she has drawn wide.

“If she can get a decent run she can still win.

“And one I think the bookies have missed is Hill Billy Bundy (R6, No.7) who can win,” he says of the $17 fixed odds chance.

“She is unknown on the grass but her mother handled it so I wouldn’t be surprised if she goes really well.”

Blanchard think the stable’s two maidens in Race 3, Lexington Queen and Always Be Kind, won’t be in that grade for long so either could win although they will have to come around one of the hottest favourites of the day in Mr Putt, who has good Alexandra Park form and barrier 1.

“And Patrick Mahomes should be suited by the grass because he lacks a bit of speed but has been racing consistently at Alexandra Park.”

While the Blanchard team is one of the stables to follow as tends to be the case the Wallis/Hackett stable have a strong hand in all three trot races, the most intriguing being Confessional trying to overcome a 40m back mark over just 2100m in the $20,000 main trot.