Training pacesetters go head-to-head at Alexandra Park tonight

[Wandering Eyes]

By Michael Guerin

The Team Telfer fightback goes up a gear at Alexandra Park tonight.

And while senior trainer Steve Telfer admits winning the premiership won’t be easy he hasn’t give up on it yet.

Telfer and training partner and sister Amanda go into tonight’s meeting on 74 wins, 22 behind the Robert and Jenna Dunn combination, with the two stables having almost identical strike rates but the Dunns have had more starters.

The Telfers have a big team in tonight, with open class stars like B D Joe and Ohoka Connor trialling next week as they start down the IRT New Zealand Cup path.

“It won’t be easy to peg them [Team Dunn] back but we have some good horses and decent numbers for the second half of the season so we haven’t given up on it,” says Telfer.

The stable has some top end talent with not only B D Joe and Ohoka Connor but Alta Meteor, Alta Wiseguy and to a lesser extent Fernleigh Cash all able to race in elite level races.

The latter returns in the Stonewall Stud and Stables Mobile Pace tonight up against greatly improved stablemate Twista.

In what is a mini summation of the season overall, the biggest danger appears to be the Dunn-trained Triple G.

“While he is fresh up this week Fernleigh Cash has done plenty of work so he is ready to go,” says Telfer.

“Twista is a lovely horse who keeps getting better but we think he will need the run this week so out of our two I think Fernleigh Cash will be the better chance,” says Telfer.

Triple G probably had every right to win when heavily backed at Cambridge last start but was passing laned by a smart pacer so looks the obvious top pick tonight while Artisan is always a chance in this level of race with her gate speed.

The Telfers start the night with three reps in Race 1, The Lincoln Farms Mobile Pace, including impressive Cambridge debut winner J T Boe, who Telfer thinks will be better for his first Alexandra Park race tonight.

“All three of ours in that race go well but I think Secrets Abound is actually the best chance even from the outside of the front line.

“He got back in a strong race last week and will be better for that outing.”

He suggests Upstage (R2, No.2) could be another significant improver in the World’s Best Hoof Oil – Support Racing Mobile Pace tonight after having no luck on debut last week although he does find himself in a strong maiden.

One of the clashes of the night could again be Telfers vs Dunns in Race 4, the Diamond Racing Stables Mobile Pace, when Semba, who was very brave sitting parked to win last Friday, takes on the talented Always A Porsche (Dunns).

“Always A Porsche looks a pretty smart horse but so too is Semba and if he can hold up early and even sit on his back I think he will go close.

Tonight’s other meeting is at Addington as harness racing and the TAB continue their concerted Friday night push which has seen an increase in turnover since the launch of Friday Night Lights coverage.

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