Herbert & Himself a likely duo at Rangiora today

By Jonny Turner

Jo Herbert will combine with the boys when she takes on some of the South Island’s leading reinswomen in Saturday’s Team Teal Challenge Pace at Rangiora.

Herbert drives the slightly ironically named Himself in the all-female drivers affair.

The Bob Butt trained four-year-old has been rated the $3 early favourite for the standing start event following an impressive last start win at Nelson last month.

Herbert goes into the race confident she’s on the right horse.

“He looks like quite a nice horse and I think Bob thinks a bit of him.”

“He looks like the kind of horse you could do anything with, he has got speed and he can do a bit of work.”

“It will be interesting to see how the race pans out, we will take it as it comes.”

“But he should be a good chance.”

Himself is one-from-one in standing start events following his Nelson victory.

The pacer hasn’t started on grass before but looks to have the gait to be able to handle racing on turf.

Bookmakers have rated Taurus and Ineka Lee ($6.50), Woodlea Diego and Katie Cox ($7) and Journo and Devon van Til ($9) the biggest threats to Herbert and Himself.

Herbert has one other drive on the Rangiora programme in Taumata VC.

The Colin and Julie De Filippi trained mare doesn’t have the best form line, but she finished close up without getting much luck when eighth in her last start at Rangiora over the same 1950m distance she faces on Saturday.

The mare has taken on better fields than she meets in race 8 and could offer some value for punters at her $10 odds.

“She has gone the odd good race, but she is one of those ones that has got to have everything go her way.”

Eastwood Isabella was rated the early favourite for race 8 at $3.20 odds.