Kelly strong chance to break 34year drought

HILDERTHORPE horsewoman Kerry Kelly’s career as a trainer looks set to hit a 34year peak at Forbury Park tonight.

She lines up maiden trotter Majestic Rose, a strong winning chance in tonight’s opening event.

The horse could provide Kelly with her first official winner 34 years after she first held a training licence.

The trainer was first licensed in 1984, but has held a licence only intermittently since and has had just a handful of starters to the races.

With her children having grown up and left home, Kelly and husband Bruce reignited their interest in horses at the 2016 yearling sales at which they purchased three yearlings including Majestic Rose.

There looks to be a good chance that Majestic Rose can pay back most of her $8000 purchase price in race 1 tonight.

However, to win the horse must improve her manners on her recent outings and trot all of the way.

‘‘She has got a ton of ability. It’s just about getting the wee mind in gear,’’ Kelly said.

‘‘She knows what racing is about and at the start she wants to be in front and she breaks at the start.’’

Majestic Rose’s best showing in her four startcareer came two starts ago when she ran third behind Clover Lou at Oamaru.

Kelly has seven horses in work and the other six are also progressing towards racetrack careers.

Some of New Zealand’s busiest horses are set to get even busier at Forbury Park tonight.

Alexy and Aveross Ferrari are among the horses who have had the most starts this season and will line up again for trainer Denis O’Connell.

The title of the country’s most raced horse is widely known as the Iron Horse award and is unofficially presented at the end of each season.

Alexy’s 43 starts have him in third position in the Iron Horse stakes, behind the country’s busiest horse, Danke, who has raced 50 times.

Aveross Ferrari has had one start fewer than his stablemate and holds fourth position on the national ladder.

A handful of other horses who start tonight sit just behind O’Connell’s pair in the Iron Horse stakes.

Queen of Glory will have her 37th season start in race 8 and Fleur Galleon start No 34 in race 2.

Westar Sam will have his 31st start in race 9 and No More Change start 30 in race 5.

Tonight’s meeting features heat 4 of the Forbury Park claimers’ series and heats 5 and 6 of the Forbury Park junior drivers’ series.