Jack just may be the boy in Bay

Good money is on offer at Hastings on Saturday - at least in the terms of New Zealand racing - and Wairarapa trainers are out to get some of it.

The best of our lot would appear to be Sins Of The Father in race 2 and Jack's Boy in race 3.

Sins Of The Father went a slashing race fresh up at Awapuni on March 31, finishing third of 11, after not getting much luck in the running.

Grant Nicholson would be despairing at the draw though as Sins Of The Father has drawn the extreme outside in the capacity field and, over 1400m, will need good luck and good management from his jockey to feature in the finish.

Likewise Jack's Boy has the outside draw but, over the 2500m journey, and with the skill of jockey Hayden Tinsley, it should not be such a problem.

After taking a little time to learn the game, Jack's Boy has really found his feet, winning his last two with gutsy performances.

He goes well over ground and has stepped up from winning over 2200m to repeating that over 2400m. On Saturday, he steps up to 2500m and it is hard to see that worrying him in the slightest.

He won't have things all his own way though, having to contend with Mungo Jerry, who is knocking at the door, and California, who should be suited to the step-up in distance.

Elsewhere on the card, Stacey Dougan has Shoothim returning to the races and James Phillips is lining up Jabez. The latter is a fairly handy type who struggled at Trentham last start after a couple of months away from the track but could quickly find form.

One I do like is Polly McDonald's Rebels Ransom. This 4-year-old gelding is due to line up in race 6, a Rating 75 over 1600m and has shown in his latest two efforts to be working his way back into form.

The problem on Saturday is that Rebels Ransom is unlikely to get a start, being fourth emergency, but is one punters should perhaps paste in their hat.

He doesn't always get out of the barrier on equal terms but has a withering late run and looks to me like he would be suited to longer journeys than the 1600m events he has been contesting, but I am sure his owner/trainer is the best judge of that.

Although he could only finish seventh of 10 at Otaki, it shouldn't be overlooked that Rebels Ransom was less than three lengths from the winner Justagem.

Opaki trainer Roger Allen has the talented mare Liv'n Paradise entered in the last of the day, back from a three-month spell. She drops back to 1400m and will again have the services of jockey Mark Hills.

Liv'n Paradise has put together three wins in her 15 starts and has drawn well at gate 6. Having been away from the track for a while, she may be in need of a run but punters should watch the tote to better assess her chances.