CHRISTCHURCH - The $50,000 Pick Six jackpot at Addington tonight should be a Pick 5 with OK Royal being a stand-out in the second leg.
OK Royal, who bounced back to winning form at the Ashburton Queen's Birthday meeting for Weedons trainer Jack Smolenski, can probably abandon any hope of being a serious New Zealand Cup contender if he fails to beat tonight's line-up.
He is the only open class runner in the c2-Oc Bell Tea-For That Feel Alive Flavour Mobile Pace, and even from the outside of the front line, should prove a class above his rivals.
The former New Zealand Messenger winner appears to be over a mystery ailment which affected his form last year, and as a former one minute 53.9 second placed miler, he should prove superior over the mobile 1950m sprint.
Smart Holmes Hanover mare Chloe Hanover (c6) returns to the track for Templeton trainer Paul Kerr after a six-month layoff, and has enough class to get closest to OK Royal.
Chloe Hanover has won six of her 10 starts, including four wins from six starts at Addington.
She won in a fast 1min 58.4sec mile rate over 2200m (mobile) at Auckland in December.
Pacific Cam, an impressive last-start Forbury winner for Doyleston trainer Kevin Fairbairn, and in-form junior driver Terry Chmiel, looks likely to kick off the pick6 in the c0 Bluebird Foods Ltd Pace.
The Camtastic gelding was given a perfect run in behind the leaders by Chmiel at Forbury, and won untouched in 2min 49.6secs for the standing start 2200m.
The third leg, the Topline Foods Pie Pace for the two-year-olds is wide open, but Spreydon Lodge trainer John Hay holds a strong hand with three of the 11 runners, all Falcon Seelster geldings with trial form.
Hay drives Franco Nimrod, who looked promising running second to another stablemate Franco Talisman, in a mobile 2200m trial at Motukarara two weeks ago.
Kurahaupo Legend, Tricky Michelle and Atom Bell, should dominate proceedings in the fourth leg. Consistent Aspiring Son is the one to beat in the fifth leg with Southern Whiz and Southern Ocean the dangers.
Titan Bloss, who won impressively at Rangiora on June 8, should continue her top winter form for Invercargill trainer Murray Brown in the final leg.
- NZPA
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