Tact Teva adds to puzzle in National Handicap

By Michael Guerin

Tact Teva is being thrust into the big time at Addington this Friday.

One of the country’s most in-form and promising intermediate grade pacers, he steps up into semi open class company in the $22,500 Garrards’ National Handicap.

He faces a 10m handicap, the same mark as his better-performed stablemate Bettors Anvil, with Tim Williams on the latter so Terry Chmiel to partner Tact Teva.

The four-year-old won his only previous standing start two starts ago but Friday’s 2600m feature will give Team Telfer a good pointer to where Tact Teva’s immediate ceiling might be.

Bettors Anvil should be fitter for his fresh up fourth and could be the horse to beat while the small field sees Mo’unga on the 30m back mark as the most proven open class pacer in the field.

The National used to be one of the traditional starting points on the road to the New Zealand Cup but with many of our best pacers starting their seasons later these days, it will be interesting to see how many in Friday’s field are still rated even possible Cup contenders in another month or two.

Friday’s meeting has, somewhat surprisingly, drawn just eight races while Alexandra Park will also host eight as it kicks off the McMillan Equine Feeds New Zealand Junior Drivers Champs.

To see Friday's fields click here