Muscle Mountain eyes up fourth Fred Shaw Memorial at Addington

[Wandering Eyes]

By Michael Guerin

Punters shouldn’t be put off by Muscle Mountain missing the logical lead-up to Friday night’s $100,000 Fred Shaw Memorial NZ Trotting Champs at Addington.

Because co-trainer and driver Ben Hope says that was by design and the big fella is exactly where he needs to be for his shot at winning the Group 1 for the fourth time.

While many of his rivals clashed in the Lamb And Hayward Classic won by Eurostyle two weeks ago Muscle Mountain was enjoying a night off at home.

“We chose to miss that race because he would have been off 30m,” says Hope, who trains Muscle Mountain with his father Greg.

“We didn’t think he needed that and to be honest he doesn’t need that much racing or trialing.

“So while he won’t have raced for four weeks he will be exactly where we need him.”

Muscle Mountain also finds himself in the rare position of having a handy front line draw in the mobile 2600m as he so often races in handicap races or drawn wide in preferential draw mobiles.

“A good draw was the one thing I was really hoping for and from five we will be able to use his gate speed.”

Even with second favourite Eurostyle drawn directly to his inside most punters will expect him to lead and therefore be the one to beat.

TAB bookies definitely do, with Muscle Mountain opening the $1.80 final field favourite over Eurostyle at $4.20 (soon into $3.70) and the favourite’s stablemate Mr Love at $4.40.

Hope says the stable expect a better performance from Mr Love after he disappointed when fifth in the Lamb And Hayward.

“He was fresh up that night and the track was actually a little harder then he likes because they had sealed it because of the rain that was forecast.

“So we know he can go better than that but both he and Midnight Dash rank behind Muscle Mountain.”

To see the field for the Fred Shaw Memorial (8.54pm) click here 

While Muscle Mountain could even tighten in the market a far more intriguing puzzle and probably race of the night honours will be a $19,000 mid-grade pace featuring some of our most exciting horses.

Race 7, the Matt Harrison Construction Mobile Pace (8.23pm) sees the return of both last season’s champion juvenile Jumal as well as The Lazarus Effect, the pair up against the talented Sonofamistery.

Jumal and The Lazarus Effect met in a two-horse trial at Rangiora on February 11 and hit the line together, The Lazarus Effect just winning after leading.

They are both stars in their own right and the tactics adopted by their drivers could be crucial as neither will want a brutal run to start their busy campaigns.

Which is why the words of Jumal’s trainer Steven Reid are crucial when he says the race is a chance to teach Jumal how to settle and sprint.

“Its the old story, we want to win but we don’t want him to have a gutbuster to do it,” says Reid.

“So I have told Sam [Ottley, driver] I am happy for her to get cover at the start and let him run home hard.

“I actually reckon that is ultimately how we will see the best of him and I think he can still win doing that, albeit probably not if The Lazarus Effect gets the front then comes home (800m) in 55 seconds.

“But I think to be driven in it will be good for him and I don’t think we need to be going too hard too soon this week because he is still a race or two away from his peak.”

To see the field for the race click here 

The feature on Auckland’s nine race meeting on Friday will be the Group 3 H R Fisken and Sons Breeders Stakes Handicap Trot (7.44pm) as well as the two $35,000 Northern Metro Finals, with the Pacers at 8.09pm and the Trotters at 8.39pm.

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