Horse racing: Imwonderfultonight set to strike in Lightning Handicap

Imwonderfultonight will contest the Listed Lincoln Farms Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo / Kenton Wright / Race Images

Imwonderfultonight has been a standout performer for Cambridge trainer Sam Mynott this season and she is hoping her mare can be rewarded for her consistency with victory in Saturday’s Listed Lincoln Farms Lightning Handicap (1200m) at Trentham.

The I Am Invincible five-year-old featured prominently over the New Zealand Cup carnival at Riccarton in November, finishing fourth in the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) before going down by a mere nose to Maria Farina in the Listed Stewards’ Stakes (1200m).

She was then a game fourth in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham in January before placing in the Gr.3 Concorde Handicap (1200m) on Karaka Millions Night at Ellerslie, but had a sub-par showing when last in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa last month.

She has since been freshened, and Mynott, who is also a jumps jockey, has varied her work in the lead-up to her weekend assignment.

“She went out for 10 days following Te Rapa and we have been doing a lot of different things with her since she has come back into the stable – a bit of jumping and taking her to the beach. She is thriving and is in a real happy place,” Mynott said.

Imwonderfultonight is set to carry 53kg on Saturday and will jump from barrier two with Joe Doyle on her back.

“It is a nice draw, she can just pop out and will ideally be on the pace somewhere, or just in behind the pace and let her roll along. Hopefully she can finish off nicely,” Mynott said.

“I don’t think there is a horse around that deserves it more than her.”

Mynott could also line-up Aquilifer in the Gr.2 Life Direct Wellington Guineas (1400m) but is leaning towards heading to Tauranga on Saturday instead to contest the Frocked Up Girls 3YO (1200m) ahead of next month’s Gr.3 Inglis Sales Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa.

“We change our mind every hour, but at this stage we might go to Tauranga and keep her closer to home over 1200m and then aim for the Breeders’ in April with her,” Mynott said.

“I think she will cop the trip (to Trentham), but I think the step up to 1400m plus the trip might be a bit much.”

Mynott was pleased with her last start placing behind December and Witz End at Taupo last week and is looking forward to stepping her back up to stakes level.

“I thought it was a super run behind those two really nice horses,” she said. “She has definitely got the ability to head there (Breeders’ Stakes).”

- Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk