Pinseeker heavily favoured to bounce back in Sunday's Tuapeka Cup
By Jonny Turner
Harness racing fans can expect the real Pinseeker to stand up in the Tuapeka Lodge Tuapeka Cup on Sunday.
The brilliant pacer comes into the Ascot feature on the back of two disappointing efforts going by the extremely high standards he had set himself in just nine prior starts. He will start a red hot favourite ($2.05FF).
While there may appear to be some doubt as to exactly where Pinseeker is at in his current preparation, trainer-driver Jonny Cox doesn’t share any of those concerns.
“He is fit and well, it has probably been circumstances more than anything in his last couple of starts.”
“He just got away on the wrong foot at Addington, he took a step backwards and then a step sideways and he went away in a bobble.”
“I was happy with his run after that.”
In the Methven Cup he just got a bit keen in front, going out of the back he just wanted to go faster and faster,” says Cox, “you can’t afford to do that over 3000m on grass in that kind of company.”
“He hasn’t led in too many of his races, hopefully that is something we can work on because he is going to need that kind of ringcraft if he is going to be taking on the good horses.”
Pinseeker comes into the Tuapeka Cup with three spring runs under his belt, with the pacer running a slashing fresh up second in the Hannon Memorial.
With New Zealand Cup week just a matter of days away, the four-year-old goes is nearing peak fitness ahead of Sunday’s feature.
“I would say he is pretty close,” Cox said.
“The Methven run brought him on but he was still a little bit fat going into Addington.”
“He has come on again with that run.”
“It’ll be nine days between runs going into Sunday, so we haven’t had to do a lot with him.”
“We have just kept him happy and ticked him over.”
Cox brings a travelling companion south with Pinseeker in Hooroo.
The mare begins her spring campaign in race 9 on Sunday, the Macca Lodge/ Fitzgerald Contracting Mobile Pace.
Drawing barrier 7 over 1700m doesn’t look perfect for the pacer, but she gets the services of leading junior driver Carter Dalgety.
“She won her last trial at Ashburton and I was pretty happy with her,” Cox said.
“She didn’t run any amazing times but it was just what she needed.”
“This looked a nice race for her to kick off in, she is probably 90-95% ready, she just hasn’t had that racing yet to bring her on.”
“If she could be handy enough to them, she follows pace well and I’m sure she won’t be far away.”
The best of Cox’s outside drives looks to be Sherwood Maggie in race 3, the Kenny Builders/ Mel Kenny Harcourts Balclutha Mobile Pace.
The Brian Norman trained mare was unlucky in her last start fifth at Ascot Park.
On Sunday she gets a key upgrade in draw to barrier 5 which should allow her to use her early speed.
Fingers crossed for Williamson in Tuapeka Cup
By Jonny Turner
What’s under the hood will be the last thing on Nathan Williamson’s mind when the field is called up for the Tuapeka Lodge Tuapeka Cup on Sunday.
Williamson starts his progressive three-year-old Miraculous in the annual feature after his effortless fresh up win at Ascot Park earlier this month.
The pacer returns to the same track to step up and race hardened older horses on Sunday in what will be his first standing start.
Williamson admits he is hopeful, rather than beaming with confidence, as Miraculous approaches his new challenge.
“I would say he is a 70-30 chance of going away,” the trainer-driver said.
“Earlier on he was more 50-50 but we have been doing quite a bit of practice with him at home and he is improving.”
While there are some doubts about how Miraculous might handle his first look at the standing start tapes, there don’t seem to be any doubts about the horse’s ability.
“He is certainly good enough to feature,” Williamson said.
“Pinseeker and even Smoke In The Water look the horses to beat, they have been racing in strong company.”
“Our horse is only having his 10th start and he’s still only a three-year-old.”
“But he is a nice horse and he has been working well.”
Williamson also lines up one of the key chances in the feature trot, the Lawrence Night 'n Day / J J Otago Handicap Trot.
Flying Without Wings will shoot for a hat-trick of wins in what looks like a suitable race to step up in grade in.
“His work has been as good as it ever has and his confidence is up after a couple of easy wins.”
“He looks a good chance in a small field, even from 20m he shouldn’t settle too far from them.”
The final runner from the Williamson barn to step out on Tuapeka Cup Day is Itoje in the Wattlebank Standardbreds/ Bearing Replacement Mobile Pace.
The pacer looks as good as any horse that lines up in Sunday’s finale, but he gives away a race fitness advantage when returning fresh up.
“He comes in fresh and he is definitely going to benefit from this run.”
“I do expect him to go a nice race, he does have a lot of ability, but he is racing horses that have had the benefit of a lot of racing recently.”
Shezabettorgirl looks the best chance among Williamson’s outside drives at the Tuapeka Cup meeting.
The filly drops back in grade after competing in a Sires' Stakes heat at Addington. She's in Race 4, the Milton Night 'n Day / Southwest Shearing Mobile Pace.
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