Tide coming in at Addington

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk

Five of the six runners in the Clarkson Signs Two-Year-Old Mobile Pace (1980m) at Addington Raceway on Friday will be looking to continue their winning form line, including Tide And Time.

The gelding was victorious at the Christchurch track a fortnight ago after a front-running drive from trainer Katie Cox, and she is hoping for a repeat performance on Friday.

“I was really happy with him. He is typical of the Somebeach’s, he loves running along in front,” Cox said.

He will meet a formidable line-up on Friday, with the Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen-trained trio of Lochart Shard, Franco Mac, and Always Have Faith, as well as the Ken Barron-trained Azor Ahai all boasting last start wins, while the Phil Burrows-trained Smart Watch has placed in his last two starts after winning first-up.

“There are some pretty nice horses in there, but he deserves his chance to see where he is at,” Cox said.

“The time that he went (last start) should be competitive in any race, there will be some other options coming up for him in his own grade where he should be very competitive.”

Cox, who will take the reins once again, said she will likely adopt similar tactics to his previous start.

“He is a horse that you have got to go with early and let him do his own thing,” she said.

“You can’t really fight him, he has got a bit of a mind of his own off the gate. He likes to go forward.

“We’ll be keen to roll along and stay there if we can, but we will see what happens.

“He is a lovely horse and he has got a lot of speed. His manners are getting better, that has been his biggest thing, keeping him as relaxed as we can.”

Another horse Cox will be trying to keep relaxed on Friday is stablemate Spy Da Moment.

The Monarchy eight-year-old will contest the Go Media – All Eyes On You Mobile Trot (1980m) a distance that Cox said will be ideal for her gelding.

“It’s his sort of distance and the mobile will be a big help to him,” she said.

“It would be great if we could have 1980m mobiles for him every week, that is his go in life.

“It’s a wee bit of a drop back in class in what he has been racing. He has been running good times without getting a lot of luck. He just got a bit stirred up in his last start.

“If he gets around to the start and he is nice and relaxed, he will race well.

“A lot of it depends on whether he stays relaxed.”