Master McGoogan and Eyes Wide Open square off at Addington tonight

By Michael Guerin

Master McGoogan might win his comeback race at Addington tonight but don’t expect it to be a comfortable watch if you back him.

Because trainer Matty Williamson says the early season star of the southern juvenile trotting ranks will be significantly better for his outing in the Ricoh Mobile Trot tonight (6.55pm).

“He has had two trials but he will definitely improve with this Friday,” explains Williamson.

Master McGoogan showed some real depth to win two of his three runs in the autumn including the Group 3 NZ Trotting Stakes in which he beat several of his key rivals tonight.

One he didn’t beat though was tonight’s favourite Eyes Wide Open (R5, No.7) who made a huge impression winning on debut recently and was opened odds-on by the TAB.

Even though Master McGoogan is the most proven horse in the race Williamson will be passive early, not that that has stopped him winning before.

“It was actually how he won both his races last campaign, settling back and coming wide and finishing over the top of them.

“But this is a nice enough field and it will be harder to do that again, especially as he is still on the way up.”

Eyes Wide Open looked the goods winning on debut albeit aided by Royal Monarch galloping when in front of him at the top of the Addington straight but the way Eyes Wide Open powered through his last 200m he would have been very hard to beat regardless.

If he performs to that level again he will be the one to beat although his $1.65 opening odds were short for a young trotter still learning the tricks of his trade.

Williamson will partner Rangitata for his father Phil in a small but select field in the fillies and mares trot, in which Marikit (R7, No.9) will be very hard to hold out after an impressive return last Friday.

“Rangitata went well last start but this is a bit of a step up.”

He also takes the reins behind Haley Jaccka (R8, No.8) who finds herself drawn outside some serious Group 1-performed mares in one of the races of the night.

“She will need them to go hard to bring her into it.”

Williamson is looking forward to the biggest meeting of the season at his home track of Oamaru on Sunday where he rates Axel Rose the best winning chance of his reps.

The richest race at Addington tonight is the Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes Foundations Pace for the stock of stallions who stood at $7000 or less with Captain Tyron and Franco Ankara opening $2.15 each, the latter very unlucky last Friday night.