Racing: Gold Ace set for Jewels clash

Gold Ace (right) and Terror To Love in a thrilling dead heat two weeks ago. Photo / Supplied

Gold Ace has been gifted the tactical advantage in the next round of his ongoing war with Terror To Love - next Saturday's Harness Jewels.

The two glamour three-year-olds have drawn alongside each other in their $150,000 division of the Ashburton meeting but crucially Gold Ace has drawn inside his arch-rival.

He will leave from barrier three with Terror To Love at four in the group one mile and that was all trainer Steven Reid was hoping for.

"I didn't really mind where we drew as long as it was on the front line," said Reid. "But to draw inside Terror To Love is a huge bonus.

"Obviously there isn't much between them but I think on recent runs we have the slight edge.

"Drawn inside him means we should be able to lead and dictate the race so I couldn't be happier."

Reid has been thrilled with Gold Ace's progress since he and Terror To Love played out a thrilling dead heat in the Flying Stakes at Addington two weeks ago.

He wasn't the only northern-trained star to win big in the draws, with Flying Isa now looking a certainty in the two-year-old trot after drawing barrier two, the same marble Gomeo Romeo has secured for the biggest race of the day, the four-year-old male pace.

That gives the Taylor Mile winner a massive advantage over key rival Franco Emirate, who has drawn the outside of the front line, with Mach Banner and Smiling Shard drawn awkwardly on the second line.

That could even see Gomeo Romeo start favourite, although there will be plenty of support for another huge northern improver this season in Pure Power, who will start from barrier five.

The draws have made the two-year-old male pace and the three-year-old trot tricky for punters.

The three favourites in the trot, Paramount Geegee, Springbank Sam and Thanesan have all drawn the second line while recent feature race winners Western Cullen and Lets Elope have drawn inside long-time favourite Fly Like An Eagle in the male juvenile pace.

Two of the hottest favourites of the day will come in the four-year-old mares pace, where Lancome has drawn barrier five and could start as short as $1.50 while champion filly Carabella has barrier six in the three-year-old filly pace, where she could start as short as $1.10.

The final field odds for the Jewels will open at noon tomorrow, with at least five of the favourites likely to be odds-on.

Acceptances

Venue: Ashburton Raceway

Date of meeting: Saturday, June 4.

RACE 1 11.25: STANDARDBRED BREEDERS 4YO DIAMOND (Gr1) $150,000, 4yo mares mobile pace, 1609m (13) Elysium (1), Flyover (2), Red Styx (3), Indulge (4), Lancome (5), The White House (6), Elsa (7), Together Again (8), Bella Arden (9), Suidelike Meisie (10), Yankee Dream (11), Secret Potion (12), Sloane Square (13) fr. Emergency: The White House.

RACE 2 12.00: NEUMANN'S TYRES & THE TYRE GENERAL 2YO RUBY (Gr1) $100,000, 2yo mobile trot, 1609m (13) Trip's On Me (1), Flying Isa (2), Escapee (3), All Shook Up (4), Beau Brummell (5), Mariposa (6), Another Love (7), Amore Stride (8), Maidstone Miss (9), Master Lavros (10), Duke Of The Moment (11), Galaxy Hunter (12), Thanks Charlie (13) fr. Emergency: Mariposa.

RACE 3 12.35: MID CANTERBURY TROTTING OWNERS ASSN 3YO DIAMOND (Gr1) $150,000, 3yo fillies mobile pace, 1609m (13) Fly The Flag (1), Jumpforjoy (2), Pashana (3), Collecting (4), Miss Moonlite (5), Carabella (6), Donegal Delight (7), Paradise City (8), Maid In Splendour (9), Temepara Cullen (10), Miss Elsie (11), Zingara (12), Tatijana Bromac (13) fr. Emergency: Temepara Cullen.

RACE 4 1.09: GLENFERRIE FARM 4YO RUBY (Gr1) $100,000, 4yo mobile trot, 1609m (13) Jinja Gal (1), Hot Holiday (2), Glendaloch (3), Dealornodeal (4), Chocolate Brownie (5), Another Player (6), The Real McGuire (7), Zealous Lady (8), Vulcan (9), Dreamit (10), Taimate Boyz (11), Boizel (12), Larix (13) fr. Emergency: Taimate Boyz.

RACE 5 1.43: ALPINE CHEESE 2YO DIAMOND (Gr1) $150,000, 2yo fillies mobile pace, 1609m (13) Here We Go Again (1), Gaylee's Delight (2), Holme Fire (3), Veste (4), Elusive Chick (5), Carpenters Daughter (6), O Baby (7), Windinherhair (8), Misty Magic (9), Alchemist (10), Black Ice (11), Dancing Diamonds (12), Cowgirls N Indians (13) fr. Emergency: Black Ice.

RACE 6 2.18: OVERPORT LODGE 3YO RUBY (Gr1) $100,000, 3yo mobile trot, 1609m (13) Commander Jewel (1), Sapphire Castleton (2), Contador (3), Talkmeintoit (4), Brookside Filly (5), Brawlinwiththeboyz (6), Johnny Springfield (7), Loki Brogden (8), Madisonz Luck (9), Thanesan (10), Fire In The Night (11), Paramount Geegee (12), Springbank Sam (Ur) fr. Emergency: Fire In The Night.

RACE 7 2.58: RANGIORA EQUINE 3YO EMERALD (Gr $150,000, 3yo colts & geldings mobile pace, 1609m (13) Anvils Top Gun (1), Ohoka Texas (2), JB Maguire (3), Gold Ace (4), Terror To Love (5), Bettor Dream (6), State Of Affairs (7), Major Mark (8), Matt Maguire (9), Delight Brigade (10), Malak Uswaad (11), Empyrean (12), Hands Christian (13) fr. Emergency: JB Maguire.

RACE 8 3.38: COMMODORE 2YO EMERALD (Gr1) $150,000, 2yo colts & geldings mobile pace, 1609m (13) Ardghal (1), Rockin Roll Lad (2), Texican (3), Midnight Dylan (4), Western Cullen (5), Lets Elope (6), Alberto Contador (7), Fly Like An Eagle (8), Orl Black (9), Monaghan (10), Franco Hemmingway (11), Chancellor Cullen (12), Alta Mario (13) fr. Emergency: Texican.

RACE 9 4.13: ROBILLIARDS SHOWCASE JEWELLERS 4YO EMERALD (Gr1) $150,000, 4yo geldings & entires mobile pace, 1609m (13) Four Starzzz Flash (1), Gomeo Romeo (2), J Walker (3), Wee Brother (4), Pure Power (5), River Field (6), Russley Rascal (7), Fernleigh Renegade (8), Franco Emirate (9), Mach Banner (10), Five Star Anvil (11), Flying Diamonds (12), Smiling Shard (13) fr. Emergency: Flying Diamonds.z