By Michael Guerin
Pinseeker may have started in the biggest race of the year but his grand final fortnight actually starts tonight.
The five-year-old has been one of our major pacing improvers this season, developing from promising intermediate grade pacer to a big-race player.
That was most clearly emphasised in the $1m Race by Betcha last month when he finished fifth, a week after sitting parked to finish third in the Flying Mile also at Cambridge.
He drops back in grade for what is still a very strong Continental Event Hire Superstars at Addington tonight before the Country Cups Final back there in two weeks.
“I know he has been in some huge races but these have really been his targets,” says trainer-driver Jonny Cox.
“We were very proud of what he did in the north and with how much he has improved we have even thrown in a nomination for the Inters just in case the series falls away.
“But this race and the Country Cups Finals have been in our plans for a long time and he has handled his busy season well so he is ready to go.”
Pinseeker returned home from taking on Leap To Fame to the Winter Cup at Rangiora last start but never got into the race, finishing on well late for fourth.
“I was following Renegade from our 35m handicap but he didn’t move so we never really had a winning chance but he has come through that well.”
Tonight’s 2600m mobile has plenty of hard running pacers and Cox will wait to see what their drivers are thinking at the start before making up his mind whether to use Pinseeker’s gate speed or not.
“We are drawn right next to Rakero Rocket and he will probably go forward so we have that option but there is also plenty of good, in-form horses inside him so we don’t have to make that decision yet.”
The Superstars is a beauty as any of the 10 starters could win without stunning and so much will depend on the early burn.
If Pinseeker heads forward and leads easily enough he becomes the horse to beat but if three or four horses get involved in the early burn the race could set up for those less ambitious early.
Beach Ball will be seen in new colours tonight as well-known Australian owner Mick Harvey has entered into an agreement to race the six-year-olds with the Chapmans and after tonight he is likely to head to Sydney and join the Luke McCarthy stable, with the Inter Dominions still an outside chance.
As deep as the Superstars field is the brightest star at Addington tonight will be Marketplace (R8, No.9), with our best three-year-old pacer facing an outside barrier draw in a Garrards Sires’ Stakes Semi Final being used to tick him over for next Friday’s final.
Even from his wide draw he opened $1.30 with the TAB and will be run through many punter’s multis.