Racing: Big guns in action in huge harness double-header

Self Assured is a favourite in the $30,000 Free-For-All. Photo / Race Images

Greg Hope says Friday night at Addington is when the talk stops.

Hope and wife Nina take their three stable big guns to the outstanding premier meeting on what will be a huge double-header night for harness racing. But as good as A G's White Socks, Midnight Dash and Muscle Mountain are, they are up against, on paper at least, even better horses.

A G's White Socks faces three of the four biggest names in New Zealand pacing in Amazing Dream, Spankem and Self Assured in the $30,000 Free-For-All while Hope's two four-year-old trotters take on Sundees Son and Bolt For Brilliance among others in the $30,000 Trotters Classic.

The two trotters have looked top open-class horses in the making but Hope says Friday will be the test.

"The talk stops now, we are going to find out how good they are," says Hope.

He says Muscle Mountain is the more brilliant of his pair, which is why son Ben has chosen to drive him over the in-form Midnight Dash, who Tim Williams will partner.

"Midnight Dash has been going great races and I was saying to his owners the other day he could be like Quite A Moment, a horse who can race at the highest level for quite a few seasons.

"Muscle Mountain has that real touch of brilliance. So we are happy with both ours but we are only getting 10m from Sundees Son so it should tell us where we stand."

The Hopes know how good A G's White Socks is but even in a five-horse field tomorrow, he worries about tactics.

"They are all good horses and I am not sure whether they will go off the gate and run or settle straight into single file and just sprint home so it could be a tricky race."

A G's White Socks has had only two starts back this campaign. Tomorrow's meeting also hosts the Flying Stakes for the best three-year-old pacers, the NZ Trotting Oaks and a super support card in the countdown to the Easter Cup.