Evangalist to make trotting debut

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  

After 98 starts as a pacer, Evangalist will make her trotting debut at Addington on Friday.

The eight-year-old mare will line up in Race 3, the Joanne Clay and Friends Trot (6.04pm) with driver and co-trainer Jason Thomas hopeful she will deliver on the promise she showed in her latest trial.

"When she qualified at Addington she didn't trot that well but if she trotted like the way she did at Rangiora she wouldn't be far away from them," says Thomas.

At Addington on July 12 she was the first of two home in 3:32.2 over the 2600 metres (stand) while last week at Rangiora (July 29) she beat home a nine-horse field, including race rival The Royal Metro, in 59.8 (last 800m). Her overall time for the 2600m stand was 3:30.9.

"She's always been able to trot a bit," says Thomas.

As a pacer she has won 10 races, with her last start being an 11th at Methven in April.

"She just sort of reached her mark as a pacer so we thought we'd have a crack at it."

"It's a bit of a no-brainer really."

On Friday she'll start off the unruly in a maiden field that includes Seeking Love on debut for Robert and Jenna Dunn after he won his qualifier by nearly 30 lengths.

Thomas says they will take it "race by race" with Evangalist though she is not expected to be racing for too much longer, with plans to get her in foal this breeding season.

Evangalist is the latest in a long line of dual-gaited performers. They include the likes of the now-retired Take After Me who had four pacing and 17 trotting wins during his record-breaking 420 start career while Dynasty (7 pacing, 4 trotting wins) and Conrad H (3 pacing, 6 trotting wins ) have also had success in recent seasons.