Recent form not ideal but Sheriff a law unto himself

WAGGING tongues suggesting Sheriff is off his game ahead of the Harness Jewels have not got through to the two men that matter most.

The classy colt could not have been more impressive when he set a national record in winning the New Zealand Derby and normally that would be enough to make him the 3yrold male pacers’ favourite at Cambridge tomorrow.

Add in his barrier 3 draw and, by the usual rules, the Nigel McGrathtrained colt should be starting a $2 favourite.

But the pacer is set to start at longer odds because of the popular theory that he has gone off his game.

It is easy to see why some could come to that conclusion, as the horse has been comprehensively beaten twice since his epic derby win.

Firstly in a leadup race at Addington, when he was soundly beaten by his main rivals in tomorrow’s event, Sicario and Pat’s Delight.

Sheriff was then easily accounted for by another rival, Bettor Step Aside, at the Cambridge workouts last weekend.

Those defeats might be cause for concern for some, but they are certainly not for his trainer, Nigel McGrath, and driver, Blair Orange.

‘‘Nigel rang me today and he is very happy with him,’’ Orange said yesterday.

Orange is completely dis regarding the horse’s last race and his workout, where he was driven by substitute reinsman Todd Mitchell.

‘‘At Addington he just got hanging around the bend and lost a bit of ground. They went a 26 quarter; you are just not going to make up that ground on speed like that.’’

‘‘Then the other day, it was only a workout and Todd Mitchell was happy with him.’’

Sheriff and his New Zealand Derby runnerup, Pat’s Delight, and third placegetter Sicario look set to dominate tomorrow’s race.

Pat’s Delight has barrier 2 and could be the early leader in the race. However, driver Dexter Dunn expects plenty of fireworks when the mobile gates leave.

‘‘We will be coming out for a look, but there will be a few coming out and there should be plenty of speed,’’ Dunn said.

‘‘He is pretty versatile so he could lead or trail. We will just have to see what happens. He is going really well and Cran is happy with him.’’

Sicario’s hopes look to rest on the early speed in the race eventually relenting so that his driver, Mark Purdon, can work him into the race from his tricky 4onthesecondrow draw.