KEY POINTS:
Former Southland trotter Idid It Myway faces the biggest test of his career at Addington tonight but trainer-driver Colin De Filippi says he is up to the task.
Idid It Myway has caused a stir since arriving in Canterbury, winning his last two starts in the style of an open class horse.
He may have to be just that to win the $12,000 Premier Stables Trot at the Timaru Harness Club's meeting at Addington as he takes on several top trotters under mobile start conditions.
That means he will effectively be giving a start to a high class mare like Marie Wishes, who has drawn one, while Idid It Myway will start from the unruly position, which is on the outside and slightly back from the others.
While De Filippi admits that will be difficult he thinks Idid It Myway can keep winning.
"He is a very smart trotter," De Filippi said last night. "He has always had speed but when he came up to join us I was surprised at the times he has been able to clock.
"He is already trotting times as good as many of the open class horses."
De Filippi was surprised to learn Idid It Myway was unruly from a mobile start as he has won from behind the gate before.
He believes that means he will have to give the leaders a big advantage early in the race.
"It is quite a nice field and it won't be easy to give a quality trotter like Marie Wishes a start. She is clearly the one to beat," he said.
Idid It Myway may have a week off after tomorrow's race but long term De Filippi and his wife Julie, who he trains in partnership with, haven't ruled out aiming the five-year-old at the $150,000 Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park in Auckland in May.
"He has to earn a trip like that but he might be up to it and there could be some tired trotters in the open class ranks by then," De Filippi.
While Marie Wishes, with her gate speed and solid form, may start favourite tonight an interesting runner is Awesome Imace.
He has had heavy support lately and performs well from a mobile start.
De Filippi has several other good drives tomorrow and rates Lifes Precious in race four as his next best chance.
"He is a nice maiden but may have to start from one on the second line where he will be dictated to by the horses in front of him," De Filippi said. "But he is worth following."
- NZPA
