Trotting Oaks winner returns

[Wandering Eyes]

By Josh Smith – Harness News Desk

Trotting maestro Kevin Townley will have a two-pronged attack in the Spectators – Book A Table Mobile Trot (1980m) at Addington Raceway on Friday night and he is hoping both runners will be competitive.

Last-start Gr.2 New Zealand Trotting Oaks (1980m) winner Vacation Hill will be in a fresh state on Friday and he said the daughter of Muscle Hill just keeps getting better with time.

“Vacation Hill is a lovely filly and I expect her to go really well on Friday,” Townley said.

“She has had two trials and she showed that she is back up and ready to go again. She made a mistake from the standing start in her second trial, but went a really good last mile.”

Premiership leading driver Blair Orange will take the reins on Friday where Vacation Hill will be the sole starter on the second line.

“She should be ready, she just needs a bit of luck off the second line. You never know what is going to happen there,” Townley said.

Townley has no particular targets in-mind for the promising filly, however, he said he is contemplating on a trip north.

“In the next month we have got to decide on the sires’ stakes and the sales series,” he said. “They are both in Auckland, so we have got to decide whether it is worth going all the way up there.

“It is two weeks between the races up there, so it is a long trip.”

Vacation Hill will come up against stablemate Aorangi on Friday night, who has drawn three and will be driven by John Dunn.

The four-year-old son of Peak has had two runs this preparation, finishing third first-up in May before breaking late in the piece last start after being posted three-wide for the majority of the 1980m trip.

“His first-up run was very good,” Townley said. “I did wonder if it did flatten him all the same because it was a hard run first-up and may have been one of the reasons why he didn’t go as good last time.

“He broke last start because he was tired, it was too hard a run I think. Hopefully he will bounce back, but he is not a great friend of the punters, you do have to be a bit wary of him.

“He’s good at home, but a bit unpredictable on raceday.”

While Townley is looking forward to Friday night, he was buoyed by Immer Besser’s trial win on Wednesday, which has him excited for the season ahead.

“Immer Besser went well in her trial,” Townley said. “She should come up and race well very soon, I might even put her in next week.

“She trialled very well so I am looking forward to getting her back to the races.”

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