It’s on – Got The Chocolates and Marketplace square off in tonight’s NZ Derby

[Wandering Eyes]

By Michael Guerin

Driver John Dunn blames himself for the one glaring anomaly in harness racing’s hottest arch rivalry.

Dunn drives Got The Chocolates, the hot favourite for tonight’s $300,000 Garrards NZ Derby at Addington (9.07pm) even though he is up against Marketplace, who has been considered superior for much of the last year.

That has changed in their last three clashes and Got The Chocolates landed the killer blow in their personal battle when he sat outside Marketplace and crunched him in the $500,000 THE VELOCITY slot race last Friday.

That brings their personal score card to 9-all after 18 clashes and for over a year when they have met if Got The Chocolates hasn’t won he has finished second – With one jarring exception. That was in the Northern Derby at Alexandra Park in April, the only other time the pair have met over a staying distance like tonight’s 2600m mobile.

Marketplace bolted away with that Derby while Got The Chocolates dropped out to finish seventh but Dunn says that isn’t indicative of what to expect tonight.

“That was my fault in the Northern Derby,” says Dunn.

“I had a crack for the lead early and kept going way too long and he wouldn’t come back to me so he undid himself.

“But that won’t be happening this week and I think he will love the distance.”

The big question tonight will be whether, if Marketplace leads as expected, driver Craig Ferguson choses to hand that role to Got The Chocolates and try to beat him for speed rather than stay in front and have the favourite hammering him over the last 800m.

Got The Chocolates has to be the favourite after their results this spring but they should probably be closer in the market than $1.40 versus $2.60 when you consider their overall records.

Dunn finds himself in another seemingly two-horse race in tonight’s NZ Trotting Oaks with Ya Rite Darl drawn 2 alongside last Friday’s THE ASCENT slot race winner Tracy The Jet.

“The draw looks good because if we can’t lead then we should be able to trail her,” says Dunn.

“My filly was jogging when she galloped last week and I think she can push Tracy The Jet very close.”

The stable’s Nevele R Filles Final winner from last week Celestial Sea faces another second line draw in the Garrards NZ Oaks, which is a deep and even classic where any one of six or eight fillies could win depending on tempo or luck.

“She had a tough draw last week but it worked out well whereas it is hard to work out what sort of run she will get this time.

“She can win again but it won’t be easy.”

Team Dunn can start the night with a feature-race win as Petite Armour starts odds-on in the Touchdown Car Rentals Trot for two-year-old fillies.

“It took a really nice horse (Kyvalley Ray) to beat her last week and he isn’t here this time so she deserves to be favourite.”

I Dream Of Jeannie (R4, No.14) gives the stable a double-figure value bet in the mares’ trot while Dunn says Scrunch (R12, No.3) is one of his better chances of the packed night in the last race.

“And we have Its Tough in the Christian Cullen and he is flying but we couldn’t have expected the field to come up like this, with Kingman and a few other open class horses so he is really up against it.”

HOW TO PUNT ON TONIGHT’S ADDINGTON FEATURES

Race 2, Petite Armour (No.1): Hard to go past the favourite after she was beaten by a good male trotter last week who isn’t here this time. Not long odds so maybe best in a multi.

Race 4, I Dream Of Jeannie (No.14) and Hidden Talent (No.16) split bet: Huge handicap field so backmarkers risky but they have been racing in open class and both are double figures. Don’t get carried away though as incredibly tough race.

Race 5, Ripples (No.9): Tough filly who had little luck last time and gets Luke McCarthy in the sulky. $3 a fair price in small field.

Race 6, Tracy The Jet/Ya Rite Darl fixed quinella: The Aussie filly should lead and win from the ace after taking The Ascent last week and Ya Rite Darl can get straight on her back. So looks the quinella and if that isn’t paying enough for you the $2.90 for Dash Dosh Top 3 is another option.

Race 7, Arafura (No.5): Really tricky race with some tired fillies from last week and Captain’s Mistress joining in from barrier 1 but with hardly the ideal prep. Arafura was super coming wide in last week’s Nevele R Final and won Northern Oaks so gets the nod on staying ability.

Race 8, Youneverknow (No.6): Make no mistake, Meant To Be is the best of these and the one to beat but his $2.15 is no spoil from the second line whereas Youneverknow continues to improve and his $2.90 top2 and $1.90 top3 both make real appeal if you don’t want to back him to beat the fav.

Race 9, Bettors Anvil (No.2): He won’t beat the two superstars Got The Chocolates and Marketplace, who are favoured in that order, but Bettors Anvil has the gate speed to get to markers, follow them around and finish Top3 and his $1.60 to do so is a multi must.

Race 10, Kingman (9) and Better Knuckle Up (6): There are two ways to tackle this. Firstly the TAB are giving a Box Seat Boost to $1.80 for Kingman when he will probably pay $1.30 so that is a gift for the NZ Cup winner. But Better Knuckle Up was a huge fourth coming from last in the NZ Cup, with Leap To Fame and Merlin, between him and Kingman so his $2.40 price for Top3 is very fair.

 

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