Rosa Shard "best chance" for Team Cullen at Addington tonight

By Michael Guerin

The big names of the Cullen team heading to Addington tonight may have to take a back seat to the new girl in town.

Because co-trainer Hayden Cullen says wide draws for Trump Card (R6) and Ashley Frank (R9) mean debutante Rosa Shard (Race 2) could be the stable’s best winning chance.

Hayden and Amanda’s team is starting to warm up after a deliberately quiet winter, with the stable to be minus one of its stars from the last two seasons in We Walk By Faith, who has been sold to Perth.

Trump Card and Ashley Frank are both horses who will be competitive in nice races at Addington even during carnival time but Hayden says he is cautious because of their draws tonight.

“It is never easy from wide draws in their grade,” says Cullen.

“That doesn’t mean they can’t win but it makes it harder.”

Trump Card is drawn outside some handy horses headlined by Always A Porsche over the 1980m mobile (7.35pm) which suggests he may need some Blair Orange magic.

“He is actually racing really well and I usually wouldn’t mind a following draw with him as I used to think he was better coming from behind,” he explains.

“But he won that well on the speed two starts ago so I think he is more versatile now.

“He can win but a bit might depend on what those inside him do.”

In Always A Porsche he meets a rival with a huge motor but still some learning to do as he reacquaints himself with left-handed racing.

Ashley Frank also faces an outside of the front line draw over 1980m mobile (8.59pm) in the Touchdown Car Rentals Rising Stars Heat 2 for the up to 2-win colts and geldings. He opened at $6 and was backed into $5 in what looks to be a very competitive line-up.

The first four home will qualify for the $30,000 final on August 21. 

With only one trial under his belt Ashley Frank is likely to go back at the start to ensure he doesn't have too hard a run fresh up.

“But he is a tricky one because he is a big rolling type who tends to race betting going forward,” explains Hayden.

“So I will leave that one up to Blair, he sums it up better behind the gate than anybody.

“But he should improve with the run.”

Rosa Shard has no such draw concerns for her debut in what is not a daunting maiden field for Race 2 (5.41pm).

The well-bred filly stretched out nicely to win her latest trial at Rangiora and won’t need to perform to a much higher level to making a winning debut tonight.

“She would be our best chance of the night and we’d be very surprised if she didn't go very close to winning.”