Delany dissects his drives at Manawatu

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

Northern reinsman Nathan Delany is looking forward to heading to Manawatu Raceway on Tuesday where he will have seven drives on the eight-race card.

Cambridge trainer Mike Berger has entrusted Delany to do the steering behind his two representatives and Delany has his eyes on the prize with About Turn in the Mad Butcher Wairarapa Cup Mobile Pace (2000m).

“It is a race I would like to win myself. Wairarapa is a part of Wellington really, which is where I was brought up, so I would like to take something home,” Delany said.

“I was lucky enough to get the drive. Mike said he was taking two down and he should go alright.”

Delany will also partner Barbarossa for Berger in the PGG Wrightson Mobile Pace (2000m).

“He will be waiting for them and hopefully they run along and get his one run at them,” he said.

Delany will be hoping to kick off the meeting in winning fashion when he drives the Brendan Towers-trained Storms Acoming in the Masterton Club Handicap Trot (2500m).

“He trotted alright last start (fourth),” Delany said.

“The main thing is just getting away from the start. All he needs to do is trot and he should be a good place chance.”

In the following race, Delany believes last start placegetter My Little Big Man is one of his better chances of the day in the Mad Butcher Mobile Pace (2000m).

“The owner-trainer (Eddie Clarke) is very happy with the draw (1) and how he has been going,” Delany said.

“He was very happy with how he went at Alexandra Park and hopefully he can get the job done at Palmy.”

Delany’s other drives of the meeting will be behind the Dave and Clare McGowan-trained Elated in the Osborne Group Chartered Accountants Mobile Pace (2000m), Easy Does It in the Pete’s Joinery & Building Mobile Pace (2000m), and The Cobbler in the Colin Campbell Mobile Pace (2000m).

“We are just bringing Elated down for the trip to give him a bit more experience,” Delany said.