TV show turns Wolfendens’ attention to a Jewels bid for trotter Murcielargo
Pacing mare Bettor Cover Lover out in front as early favourite
A chance viewing of The Box Seat on television on Wednesday night got legendary horseman Peter Wolfenden thinking.
The 77-year-old trainer said he and his co-trainer son Glen are considering a tilt at the Harness Jewels at Cambridge Raceway on June 2 after realising while watching the Trackside preview show their star trotter was eligible.
“We didn’t even think about it until last night, then we were watching The Box Seat and they had him in the market for it,” Wolfenden said yesterday.
Murcielargo, a talented son of Sundon, has had eight starts for three wins and sits 18th on the order of entry for the Gr I $100,000 4yo Ruby.
He sits just $ 3142 outside the top 12 spots, and has the chance to leapfrog into the field with a win at Alexandra Park tonight.
Wolfenden said Murcielargo would easily account for tonight’s field if he turned up in the right frame of mind.
“He’s a Sundon and we all know what they are like,” Wolfenden said.
“He’s a nice horse but he lives on his nerves. He’s got it, but some of them take time to truly realise their potential. It can be as late as six.”
Wolfenden, who is sitting on 799 training wins – to go with 1762 driving wins, said Murcielargo would race at the Jewels if he qualified, despite never racing at Cambridge before.
“He’s never been the other way around, so we would have to see how he handles it. Perhaps a trial will do the trick,” he said, adding he wouldn’t be scared of anything in the Jewels field.
TAB bookmakers have Murcielargo as a $15 sixth favourite despite needing a win to qualify. Thanesan heads the market at $ 2.20, ahead of Irish Whisper at $4.50, Fire In The Night at $ 8, Spring- Bettor Cover Lover has opened as the shortest favourite for this year’s Harness Jewels at Cambridge.
The Brent Mangos-trained pacing mare is a $1.40 favourite for the Emerald 4yo Pace, no doubt a reflection her arch-rival Carabella is currently out of action with injury.
Smart trotting filly Escapee is a $1.50 favourite for her event, while two-yearold colt Alta Christiano is at $1.80, the only other two runners under $ 2.
TAB harness racing bookmaker Steve Richardson released the markets on Tuesday.
The popular market is opened three weeks out from racing each year to let punters get their hands on some nice odds. bank Sam at $10 and Yankeedoosie at $11. “We’ve beaten most of them. Yankeedoosie is in there and we have beaten her twice. You just never know what mood he is in,” Wolfenden said.
Murcielargo galloped when handy on premier night last week, but he produced a stellar run for second seven days earlier, looping the field from last 800m from home and finishing second.
With no barrier draws, and some big racing still ahead, framing the markets took time and Richardson said not everyone was going to be pleased by what was on offer.
“You get your easy markets and then there are the ones you have to think about a bit more,” Richardson said.
“Some will hardly get touched, a lot of people won’t be keen to back a horse like, say, Hands Christian at $ 2.20, but I am sure we will see him running through plenty of multi bets in the next couple of weeks.”
Richardson, who is based in Wellington, said the process of getting markets out and available this early wasn’t as hard as what many people would think.
He’s assisted by Christchurch’s Stu Bailey and together they work to build viable options for punters.
Murcielargo is one of only four horses the Wolfendens have in work.
Three-year-old Flanyattice won a workout at Pukekohe last week and has win claims in a maiden race tonight despite a second-line draw.
“He hasn’t been running on like he should, but he does have the ability,” Wolfenden said.
The Wolfendens also have Murciel-
“Last year a lot of people just took a multi with all of our opening favourites,” Richardson said.
“And because eight of the nine winners at Ashburton were the favourite it meant they were very successful, so I would expect to see more of the same.”
One clever punter last year turned $ 5 into more than $ 22,000 by combining all nine of the opening market favourites to win along with the All Blacks to win the Rugby World Cup.
The fields for the Harness Jewels are decided on stake earnings during the season, with the top 12 in each category qualifying to compete at the $1 million raceday, which alternates between Cambridge and Ashburton each year.
The cut-off date to make the top 12 in each division is at the close of racing at Oamaru on May 20. argo’s two-year-old full brother Viking Ruler nearing the trials stage.
“We think he is even better at the same stage. He has his head screwed on, Wolfenden said. “He may start out later this season if he doesn’t turn in to a problem child like his brother did.”
Wolfenden, who drove his first winner – Streamliner – in 1958, has restricted himself to light duties after a knee in- jury, sustained in a race fall at Claudelands “many years ago” flared up.
“I was driving a horse that fell on the ground and another chap came charging along over the top of me and twisted my leg quite badly,” he said. “Luk Chin was there at the time and he wobbled my leg and said ‘you’ve got some problems’. It’s been playing up ever since. I can’t do a lot anymore.”