Five to follow - Cromwell on Monday

Jonny Turner Harness Racing Journalist

The third and final chapter of the Central Otago harness racing circuit is set down for Cromwell on Monday.

With 12 races and plenty of big, even fields among them, there is plenty for harness racing fans to work through to find a winner.

Harness racing journalist Jonny Turner gives his take on five of the best-placed horses at the meeting.

Janaka’s Delight

Strangely enough, a converted trotter looks one of the strongest winning threats among the pacers on the Cromwell card.

Janaka’s Delight has built her form since converting to pacing after winning two races in the trotting gait.

Though her trotting history may not suggest she’s got a pacing pedigree, don’t let that fool you.

She’s bred on a golden cross, by champion sire Bettor’s Delight from a Christian Cullen mare.

Janaka’s Delight only went down by the narrowest of margins in her last start second at Omakau.

From barrier 1 she looks to get her winning shot at Cromwell.

Dallas Dale

There is only one question around Dallas Dale heading into his Cromwell assignment and it is not about his form or his ability.

The pacer comes into race 3 on the back of three seconds and all of them have come after he has found the front.

Dallas Dale looks to be at short odds to find the lead again from barrier 6 and from there, he should take plenty of catching.

His Cromwell assignment looks like a slight drop back in company from his recent outings, which could help him breakthrough for a deserved win.

The only slight concern is that the pacer is backing up just two days after his big run at Roxburgh on Saturday.

But his followers can have faith that it is a task trainer-driver Kirstin Green thinks he is up to.

Ah Dinnae Ken 

This mare charged into second placing in her last start behind Styrax who is a legitimate winning threat in the feature trot at Cromwell.

Of course that is outstanding form and it measures well above what many of Ah Dinnae Ken’s rivals have been producing lately.

A change of scenery at a new barn has sparked the best from the five-year-old recently and it looks set to continue on the Cromwell grass.

Ah Dinnae Ken takes on an in-form mare in Brianna who has already produced two strong efforts on the Central Otago summer circuit.

The pair look the obvious quinella option in race 4.

Tempo Warrior

There would be no more deserving on the final day of the Central Otago summer harness racing circuit than this horse.

The six-year-old sat parked throughout his gritty third placing at Omakau last Thursday before running a game second in the Roxburgh Cup, only beaten by a horse with a softer trip.

The 2600m of Tempo Warrior’s assignment at Cromwell looks key, he is one horse that won’t shirk the challenge of a longer trip on a grass track.

He’s proven that before and many will be hoping he can do it again while clinching overdue reward in the process.

Insarchatwist 

After taking on a mixture of tougher assignments, Insarchatwist looks to land in the right grade in the finale at Cromwell.

Many know that the mare loves grass tracks, her last start on turf resulted in a very narrow second at Wingatui.

Since then, she hasn’t had too much luck.

Firstly she took on a smart mares contest at Ascot Park, before working hard from a horror draw in her last start at Gore.

Though she hasn’t drawn perfectly again at Cromwell, the scratchings inside her on the second row put the eight-year-old into what looks like a workable spot.

Kirstin Green gets on really well with Insarchatwist and the combination should prove to be a strong eachway option in the last event of three big days of Central Otago harness racing.