By Jonny Turner
It is not even December and the White stable’s annual southern raid is already on.
Trainers Brent and Tim White campaign plenty of horses in Otago and Southland in summer and this year it will be no different.
But before the Ashburton trainers try to continue their success they’ve had in Central Otago in recent seasons, they’ll pop over the border to Oamaru on Thursday.
Among the five-strong White team is Snooowgood, whose last start was behind Dash Dosh, who went on to win the Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Oaks.
Prior to that, the three-year-old took on more quality types in the Group Three Hambletonian Classic.
Snooowgood drops back in grade at Oamaru and also reverts to standing start racing.
“She has just got to bring manners at the start, that will be the key,” Tim White said.
“It looks like a very winnable race for her considering what she has been racing.”
The White stable will give Stealers Wheel the second start of his new campaign at Oamaru.
There looked to be plenty of merit in the pacer’s fresh-up fifth at Ashburton.
“He did plenty of work first up, he didn’t really get a spell during that race,” White said.
“His work since has been pretty good and the best version of him would go pretty close, you would think,” White said.
Two White-trained pacers go head to head at Oamaru in Molly Maeve Estelle and Jazzys Upstart. The pair will be driven by Sarah and Gerard O’Reilly respectively.
Molly Maeve Estelle battled in her last outing, but her camp thinks the run is best forgotten.
“We are going to forgive that last run, she was on the fence and nothing seemed to run on from there that day on the wet track at Ashburton.”
“Her run before that was good and she’s drawn one this week so we are hoping she can go a much better race.”
Jazzys Upstart was also down the track at Ashburton, but she also had her excuses.
“She didn’t get much luck last start, she did a bit of work early and then Sarah came in and put her hand up and said she went a bit early.”
“She went good at Oamaru before that, she seems to go well down there.”
The White barn will give Bettor Dreams her debut in the two-year-old fillies event at Oamaru.
“She is the loveliest horse to have around the place and she hasn’t done anything wrong in her trials.”
“We are hoping she can step up at the races and maybe the Bettor’s Delight can come out in her.”
