Racing: Innocent Lady not guilty of a poor run

Photo / Richard Robinson

Innocent Lady has scored a win and six second placings from just 10 starts.

That should read either two wins and six seconds, or one win and seven seconds.

The extremely promising mare was unlucky in the home straight when only fourth at Te Rapa last start and gets a great chance to get her compensatory win on her home track at Te Awamutu tomorrow.

Two starts back Innocent Lady turned in a fabulous performance at Ellerslie.

On a day when it was difficult to come from the back if you weren't within two lengths of the leaders on the home turn, Innocent Lady produced a magnificently determined run from the back to finish second to Heydental Tourist.

She stepped from 1400m that day to 2000m last start and should be better for that distance experience when she tackles 2000m again tomorrow.

Overall, this field is not as strong as the horses she has been facing.

Sandblaster is going to find five rivals in a 1150m handicap a fair bit easier than the weight-for-age race he ran unplaced in at Rotorua last time.

After a good second at Ellerslie the time before, Sandblaster was only 10th at Rotorua, but less than three lengths from the winner, smart filly Twilight Savings. A great statistic in his favour is two starts at Te Awamutu for two victories.

Richard Beymer is all class in the sprinting ranks, but has to lump his 60.5kg topweight compared with Sandblaster's 55.5kg.

* Competitive fields have been carded for the nine-race programme at Matamata today.

Locally trained Walk Away is well fancied to make it three straight wins going around in Race 8.

His wins in good fields this preparation have been at 1400m and 1600m and he has been waiting to race over today's 2000m.

After winning well at Te Awamutu two starts back, Rare Fox, subsequently, ran just fairly when fourth at New Plymouth, but is worth another chance.

Anzabeel's Te Teko barrier trial is enough to make you think about a winning debut in the third race.