Hope excited about juvenile trotter

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

Junior reinsman Ben Hope is looking forward to heading to Addington Raceway on Thursday night to sit behind promising trotter Mr Love.

The juvenile squaregaiter is having just his second raceday start in the Lamb & Hayward 2YO Mobile Trot (1980m) after being victorious on debut.

The Greg and Nina Hope-trained colt faces a similar line-up on Thursday and his driver is confident of another good result.

“He is a horse that we have always had a bit of time for,” he said.

“I didn’t think he trotted as good as he can (on debut), but in saying that, baby trotters are not always 100 percent.

“He is still only learning and you can’t expect them to be their best all the time. He still got the job done, so in the end I was still pretty happy.

“He is still a baby trotter, so anything can happen really, but we expect him to go another good race on Thursday.”

Hope will also drive debutant Heaven On High for his parents, Greg and Nina, in the IRT. Your Horse. Our Passion. Mobile Pace (1980m).

“He is actually quite a nice maiden,” Hope said. “In a few of his trials he has been recovering from a bit of a bug, but his last trial was very good.

“We are just going to be driving him for a sit and hopefully he hits the line well.

“He is a horse that we have got a bit of time for and we expect him to win three or four over the next six months with a bit of luck.”

Later on the card Hope expects Rockntommy Rulz to continue his consistent form line in the NZB Standardbred Pace (2600m).

“He is a good standing start horse, touch wood,” Hope said. “He is usually one of the first away. I was happy with his last run at Addington, it was a good third.

“If he steps away he is a good chance of being in the top three again.”

Hope has also picked up an outside drive on the Don Burrows-trained Silverlinings in the Fahey Fence Hire Mobile Trot (1980m).

“She is a trotter with ability, but she is still learning what it’s all about,” he said.

“I am not happy with the draw (10), I would have preferred to have drawn the front row with her blazing gate speed, but we will just have to try and make it work.

“If she trots the whole way she is definitely a first three chance.”