Jumal gets rub of green in draws for $200,000 Group 1

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

Not that he necessarily needed it but Jumal has secured a big tactical advantage ahead of Friday's $200,000 Group 1 Garrards NZ Sires' Stakes 3YO Colts and Geldings Final (8.38pm) at Addington.

The Steven Reid-trained star has drawn three for the 1980 metres and tellingly  talented rival Forever Miki will start further out, at eight on the front row.

The pair were one-two in last Friday's semi final with many thinking Forever Miki would be a huge threat to Jumal if favoured by the draws in the big final.

The fact they haven't means Jumal will start a prohibitive favourite and is likely to press forward and dominate.

Forever Miki won three straight for trainers Brent and Tim White before his narrow defeat last Friday.

Like Jumal, the in-form Telfer-trained runner Get Seaside Lucky has also done well in the draws and will start from barrier two.

The Final is one of two Group 1s on Friday night with Race 6, the Avon City Ford Welcome Stakes (7.38pm) featuring a re-match between the unbeaten Roger That and Chiggsy, after they had their ding dong battle in the Diamond Creek Farm / SBSR 2YO Classic at Invercargill on April 26.

The Cran and Chrissie Dalgety-trained Roger That has had three wins from as many starts and will start from barrier two, three spots inside Chiggsy.

Two Group 3s will be held with Race 5, the Syncroflex Express NZ 2YO Trotting Stakes (7.05pm) and Race 7, the Yabby Dam Farms Heather Williams Memorial Mobile Trot (8.08pm)   

Last start winner Master McGoogan will start from seven while La Venture (4) had an encouraging second on debut and the Dylan and Jo Ferguson-trained Ellie Diamond (6) ventures south after finishing fourth behind stablemate Apollo Eleven in the Group 1 Easton Light Classic at Alexandra Park.

In the Heather Williams Memorial, Dynasty has drawn one and changes gaits after winning as a pacer last start while the heavily-favoured Eurostyle has drawn wide (9) and good performers Dash Dosh and Nellie Doyle will start off the second line.

Another of the night's highlights will be Race 9, the $100,000 Group 1 Hydroflow NZ Country Championship Final (9.07pm).

The Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained It's Tough looms as the one to beat, despite starting off a 30 metre handicap, along with Franco Sinatra and Smoke On The Water. 

The Bettor's Delight five-year-old has a formidable form line in 2026, with four wins and two seconds, behind four-year-old superstars Got The Chocolates and Marketplace.

The Dunns will also line up another form runner in Bruntwood Brigade. He's won eight from 11 this year and will start from 10m. His full brother Iron Brigade backs up for Team Telfer after his impressive win at Addington last Friday.

Not that the chances end there.

The eagerly-anticipated race brings together pacers from all over the country including two from Cambridge trainer Arna Donnelly (Beta Prepare and Rough And Ready) and a swag of southerners including Always Dreaming and the Craig Ferguson-trained pair of Da Vinci and Wag Star. 

To see Friday's fields click here