Punters chasing the guaranteed $500,000 Pick6 at Matamata today might be well-advised to pay close attention to the chances of two local trainers.
Wayne Hillis will produce strong chances in legs three and six while Kylie Fawcett has a leading hope in leg two.
Hillis will be represented by Livin'On A Prayer (NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race) and Sure He Can (Matamata Tractors & Machinery 1600) with the former an impressive debut winner on the course earlier this month.
Despite an earlier trial placing, the well-related daughter of Redwood was allowed to start at odds of 19-1.
"She won very well and she had showed us quite a bit of ability," Hillis said. "That trial effort gave us more confidence as well.
"There's not a lot of her, that's why we have given her a fair bit of time, and she has trained on very well. The way she finished off the other day, she should go a bit further."
She is out of the group one winner It's My Sin, who has done a fine job at stud as she is also the dam of 10 other winners including the group two Chairman's Handicap winner and two-time Sydney Cup runner-up Divine Touch.
"Livin' On A Prayer is the last one out of the mare so hopefully she can carry on for us," co-breeder and part-owner Hillis said. He is also confident of a bold showing in the closing event from Sure He Can, who has placed in three of his seven starts and was most recently runner-up at Ruakaka.
"He's drawn wide, but that shouldn't matter come that time of the day and there's a good run down the back from the mile start," Hillis said.
"He's been unlucky not to have won a race by now. He's a big horse and still a bit weak in behind, but I expect him to go very well again."
Stable apprentice Darren Danis will again be aboard Livin' On A Prayer while jockeys' premiership leader Danielle Johnson will take the reins on Sure He Can.
Kylie Fawcett.
Punters may leave the Fawcett-trained Ironbark (Electrico Ltd Fasttrack $2.5K) out of their Pick6 calculations at their peril.
The patiently-handled son of Any Suggestions sports one of the strongest form lines with a debut second on the track earlier this month behind the progressive Blue Shadow. She has since beaten a competitive field of three-year-olds at Te Rapa.
