Telfer Provides A Chance For Juniors

[Chief Stipe]

Steve Telfer.

Steven Telfer’s long-running support of junior drivers should see him rewarded in the open race at Alexandra Park tonight.

Telfer goes into the seven-horse race at the truncated meeting with three winning chances, two of them only getting starts because the race conditions allow higher rated horses to start with a concession driver.

So Telfer has opted for Alicia Harrison on favourite Check In and Fergus Schumacher on Ivana Flybye, with another junior driver in stable regular Benjamin Butcher to partner Parker.

Telfer giving younger drivers an opportunity is nothing new, of the 25 winners he has trained this season 10 (40 per cent) have been driven by juniors, a generous amount considering Telfer’s is a high profile stable with well bred stock so he could easily secure senior drivers.

He thinks Check In is the best winning chance of the three after placings behind On The Cards and Triple Eight recently and Telfer is happy to have Harrison on.

 “She is a good young driver and does her homework so I am sure she will do a good job,” says Telfer.

“He is probably in the right race to go forward and be put in the race and he has to be hard to beat.” But Telfer warns punters to watch out for Ivana Flybye as the winter progresses.

“She is coming back to her best after a few setbacks and has worked well this week.”

Telfer could have a good start to the night with Olivia Rachel having the gate speed to use the ace draw in race two in a race where most of her rivals probably aren’t good enough to work and win so the marker pegs run looks ideal.

He is hoping Court On The Edge gets that same marker pegs run in race three but even that may only make him a place chance as rivals Gambit, Ferritts Sister and The Stunning Nun all look better than your average horse in this grade.

The seven-race card contains three trotting races as they continue to be the saver for fields in the north, especially during winter and even more so the day after a Cambridge meeting.

The main trot is the best race of the night with Pres The Belle, Credit Master, Sunny Glenis, Missandei, Ace Commander and Paramount King all having close to open class potential so manners and racing luck will be crucial.

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