Reactor is armed and ready for Cambridge

By Garrick Knight

Expect big things from Armed Reactor at Cambridge tonight and as the season wears on. That’s the word from one of his trainers.

The big son of Auckland Reactor is fresh-up since July for Ohaupo husband-and-wife duo Jason and Megan Teaz as he tackles an $8,500 pace on his home track.

It might well be the only start he has at Cambridge this season with the stakes on offer at Alexandra Park in Auckland impossible to avoid.

But with junior driver Dylan Ferguson in the cart this week, it’s a potential ‘free’ win and connections fully intend on capitalising.

“We’ve been really patient because we’ve always had a lot of time for him,” said Jason Teaz.

“He’s potentially the best pacer we’ve had.”

From gate three he has his first decent draw and the plan is to utilise that.

“We’ve always looked after him off the gate because he kept getting bad draws but this is the first time he’s had a decent one.

“He can really fly the gate so we’ll go forward and look to make it a staying test.

“He’s untapped; we haven’t found the bottom of him yet and good luck to anything that can outstay him.”

Armed Reactor had a workout at Cambridge last Saturday which went as well as could be expected and put the polish on him, fitness wise.

“He went 2.48, home in 27 with the plugs still in and had a good blow afterwards.

“We topped him off with a nice run at home on Wednesday and I think it’s fair to say he’s more forward than most of ours usually are first-up.

“He’s a natural athlete and comes to it very quickly.”

The stable has two maiden three-year-old trotters stepping out in the last on the card – the resuming Tarukenga and the debutant Majestic Harry.

“Majestic Harry is a lot like another former trotter of ours, Mortician.

“He’s got great manners, tries hard and has his share of ability too.

“His owner, Bill Hickey, has had a tough time recently so we are really hoping he has a good season for him.”

Tarukenga was a race winner placed numerous times across six starts as a juvenile last season.

“She did a good job at two, despite being a bit weak.

“The family trait is to improve with age and she’s come back well.

“The issue for her will be coming to grips with the standing starts; she made a bit of a hash of it at the workouts the other day.”

Asked to compare the chances of their pair this week, Teaz says it is tough to split them.

“It’s hard to say. Majestic Harry is more reliable but if they both trotted the whole way, I would expect them to be in the first four.”

Rounding out the team is Hit The Sky, who has drawn wide in a race that he would otherwise have been pretty hard to beat.

“I think he’s the best horse in the race. He’s been running the best or second-best sectionals every time he goes round.

“Another nightmare draw but we are going to go push forward and take our chances.”