Racing: Mangos' big weekend drive

Tosti Girl (outer) beat Cruzee Lass in the Great Northern Oaks and they clash again tonight. Picture / Dean Purcell

Rival drivers can expect to be seeing plenty of Brent Mangos' back in the next few days.

And they will almost certainly get an early preview when he drives Tosti Girl in the first at Alexandra Park tonight.

The Great Northern Oaks winner could be the shortest favourite of three near-certainties Mangos will drive in the next three days.

Not only does he rein her tonight but he will also take his own stable stars, Molly Darling and Mr Williams, to New Plymouth on Sunday. That could see Mangos in the rare position of driving three horses paying under $1.50 in as many days.

Taking pacers as good as Molly Darling and Mr Williams to New Plymouth just five days out from the $100,000 Taylor Mile at Alexandra Park next Friday is an unusual step but Mangos favours the plan for several reasons.

"I think it will keep them mentally fresh, rather than just being worked here," he explains.

"And they need the race to tighten them up for the Taylor Mile, where they usually go very hard. Especially Mr Williams, he hasn't raced for nearly a month.

"I think the trip, with the races, should have them pretty right for next week."

But before loading up the float for New Plymouth, Mangos has a strong book of drives tonight.

Tosti Girl won't be paying much but should simply be too good in the $14,000 Nevele R Fillies heat, the first tote race tonight, even though there is a 2-year-old Sires' Stakes heat being run as a non-tote before the main programme starts.

Tosti Girl has not raced since downing arch-rival Western Dream in the first northern heat of the Nevele R series on March 10 but pleased Mangos with a solid workout on Wednesday morning.

"She felt very good and jogged her last quarter in a good time.

"She had a week off after that last win so she will be better for this race but I still think she should win."

Tosti Girl, who has also won the New South Wales Oaks, has drawn the ace tonight and Mangos is making no secret of his plans.

"Nothing will cross her at the start and we will be staying in front."

That makes her the logical quinella with Cruzee Lass, who has drawn alongside the favourite and should drop straight into the trail, from where she should run second, as she did in the Great Northern Oaks.

While Tosti Girl will be red hot there could be good value about Mangos's drive in tonight's feature, the $25,000 Country Cups Championships. He will partner Tosti Girl's stablemate Westburn Charlatan, who was the star of the summer grass track circuit.

He comes in as a five-race winner off the front in tonight's 2700m standing start event. He produced a huge run to come from near last for second in a fast-run race at Cambridge last Thursday.

Many of those off the front line tonight have been battling for some time while those off handicaps could struggle with so many race-hardened stayers capable of keeping the pace on.

"If he steps, which he should, then he is a good each-way chance," Mangos said.

"He likes to roll along in front and and I'd be happy to be there on him."

Mangos was impressed by the run of backmarker Miss Abigail in the Hawera Cup on Monday and opts for her as the one to beat tonight.

A horse he used to train, Jag Star, could provide good each-way value for punters as he has been in solid form for Derek Balle. He is tough enough to work and still get money in a field like this.

Lord McEnroe will have his supporters after an outstanding run of form which culminated in a Hawera Cup win but the one-time battler finds himself in a tricky place in the handicaps on his home track.

Mangos' other major winning chance tonight is Bury My Heart, who may finally make it back to the winner's circle in race four.

She won on four occasions, mostly in weak fields, as a juvenile last season but is edging her way back to her peak.

"She has gone better in her last two starts and Tony [Milina, trainer] is very happy with her," Mangos said.

"She has some gate speed and has to be hard to beat in this field."