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Bettor My Dreamz (David Butcher) is going strongly heading for home in his workout at Pukekohe today.
No need for Freud to analyse Dreamz - that workout today tells us he’s right in the zone
Bettor My Dreamz showed he had trained on well since his smart win at Auckland when he chased the smart Dance Time home in slick time at today’s Pukekohe workouts.
Driver David Butcher was content to sit third of four in the 2050 metre heat until the 800 metre mark when he moved up to sit parked.
And while he was still two lengths astern of leader Dance Time at the post, it was a strong effort with the last 800 metres cut out in 56.9 and 400 metres in a very zippy 26.1.
The performance augured well for Bettor My Dreamz, a rating 68 pacer given Dance Time, who with 10 wins to his name, is rated 94.
“He went well,” said Butcher. “They went pretty quick and he felt good.”
Andre Poutama was also very happy with Just Wing It who, even though he was last of the four, was just one and a half lengths behind Bettor My Deamz.
“He’s on point for next week. We just need a draw now.”
Trainer Ray Green has been delighted with the way Just Wing It has been training in the last couple of weeks and believes he has some good form ahead of him.
Andre Poutama liked the way The Empress got to the line, with petrol in the tank.The Empress also looked one to follow when she powered home for second in her 2050 metre heat, despite sitting without cover for the last lap.
With closing sectionals of 57.3 and 26.6, The Empress did well to run Barry Purdon’s Flying Finn to one and three-quarter lengths, with the overall mile rate for the trip 2:02.
“She went to the line well,” said Potama. “I clocked her at 26.8 home and I still had a good hold of her.”
Butcher was happy enough with Sir Tiger’s run even tough he didn’t feature in the call.
“He went OK. He just lacks a bit of speed and couldn’t sprint with them.”
Turning for home and Line Up is travelling for driver David Butcher.Butcher didn’t ask classy three-year-old Line Up for his best late in the up to rating 55 heat over 2050 metres.
“I went to let him go in the run home and he put in a loose one.”
Knowing Line Up had galloped late in his workout last week, Butcher wanted to make sure he didn’t repeat the mistake.
“He was getting in a bit but not too bad.”
Line Up sat second last in the seven horse field until Butcher eased out to move closer a round from home.
“When I came out he wanted to hook into it, instead of mooching up, so I just sat on him.
“And I wasn’t going to chase The Paua Diver when he went as fast as he could at the 400.”
At the post The Paua Diver, a capable southerner now with John and Josh Dickie, had a three and a half length margin over Highview Justice with a neck to Line Up.
The heat was run in a slick 2:35.3, with the last 800 metres in 56.9 and 400 in 26.6, good time for that class.
More news in Harness
Nate’s trip south to Palmy well worth it as Lincoln La Moose makes it two for the stable
‘The Kid’ flying but Argyle up against it to add good points in novel drivers’ challenge
Street’s emotion-charged night in the winners’ room - sad loss before a record four wins
It’s green jackets all the way and Ray fancies improving surprise packet Prince Lincoln
Our runners this week
Friday night at Auckland
Kevin Kline, Lincoln Lou, Colonel Lincoln.
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
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Ray’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 5: Onyx Shard
5.09pm
“She won pretty well on Sunday and clocked the fastest last quarter (27.5) of the night. She’s been a slow developer and took a while to win her second race but she can run. The field’s not much harder and hopefully we can get a similar result.”
Race 6: Lincoln La Moose
5.34pm
“He did well to finish on for third on the first night as he was wide from the 500 and didn’t handle the corners too well. We’ve changed a bit of gear to stop him hanging and will see if that helps. They’re not a wonderful bunch so he should get some money again.”