Cambridge Preview

by Michael Guerin

Trainer Peter Blanchard says there is nothing overly strategic about his growing team and strong hand at Cambridge on Wednesday night.

“It is just how it had worked out for us at the moment, having more racehorses than usual racing,” says the Pukekohe trainer.

Blanchard trains with his son Vaughan and they will take six to Cambridge tonight, which is half their stable.

Their familiar red and black colours have been more prominent than usual in the north in recent week but Peter says there is no great reason behind it all.

“We usually trade a lot of horses so some horses come here for only a few starts before heading overseas,” he told HRNZ.

“Then we have others who stay here for longer so it all depends on the horse and what the owners want to do with them.

“It just so happens we have a lot of racehorses at the moment and some of them are racing well.”

One of those is their first rep tonight in Ruby Ridge (R3, No.10) who was heavily backed on her stable debut at Cambridge on Christmas Eve and bolted in.

“She is a nice mare which we all saw the other day and I’d say she is not finished winning yet,” says Blanchard.

Meeting a similar field to the one she beat last week if Ruby Ridge behaves she looks the bet of the night.

Karloff Noir is a maiden in race four who had had some blood problems recently but Blanchard thinks he has her worked out but with a warning.

“She hasn’t had any trials since she last raced so she will improve with the run but still has to be a chance.”

Agostini (R6, No.5) is another last-start Cambridge trotting winner for the stable who goes back in the handicaps but after sitting parked last start can clearly win again.

“He is a good trotter who Vaughan can take all the credit for,” says Blanchard.

“He has had real soundness issues and Vaughan has never given up and been really patient with him.

“He has gone 2:45 and 2:46 at Alexandra Park for 2200m and then won in 2:50 last start so clearly he can keep winning.”
 Matai Louis (R7, No.3) has been racing in stronger Alexandra Park fields and is still rated as improving by the stable.

“He is a big, immature horse but he is getting there and back to this track and this grade he has to be hard to beat,” says Blanchard.

Dalvey Robyn in race eight is a former southern pacer who won second up for the stable in September but was given a spell after two fruitless starts and is another coming in without a trial.

“He will like it the harder they go but he is also going to improve with the run.”
 The night finishes with Cyclone Lebron (R9, No.4) who has been super consistent in maiden trots but meets a handy enough field for that grade.

“He will get a maiden one night but he keeps finding one better. So it is just a matter of where and when.”