Open-class pacer Seafield Raider will be meeting his rivals on more than favourable terms at Hawera today.
The winner of 13 races is a fresh runner to the meeting and by far the best-performed horse in the $6500 Classic Hits 90FM/Newstalk ZB Mobile Pace over 1900m.
When trainer Michael House returned home to Christchurch after giving the horse one run in Auckland, on March 23, he placed Seafield Raider with northern trainer Tremaine Thorby for a few weeks.
"I felt I could dodge the best ones by leaving him up there," said House.
Seafield Raider could finish only seventh of 10 runners in Auckland but indicated he was on the improve when winning a work-out at the Pukekohe trials last weekend.
"Last Sunday he beat a field of about the same calibre he's racing against tomorrow," House said yesterday.
"A week before, though, he finished third behind Holmes D G and Cigar.
"From what I'm told they ran the last half [800m] in 55 seconds and the people I've spoken to have all said what a good effort it was."
If Seafield Raider does win, it will be the Soky's Atom five-year-old's first success since last October when scoring in a class two and faster mobile over 1609m at Wairio in Southland.
First-day form at the Hawera meeting generally proves a reliable guide for the second day, and on that alone it is hard to go past Wicklow Bay, who was impressive when winning the Hawera Cup on Monday.
Wicklow Bay started from the 20m mark and although his winning margin over runner-up Rose Holmes was only half a length, he still appeared to have something in reserve.
While his win on Monday was over 3000m he has impressive form over sprints. As a four-year-old he was good enough to beat open-class opposition over a mile.
- NZPA
Racing: Seafield Raider ideally placed in Hawera dash
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