The $30,000 Aotea Electrical Silk Road Handicap Trot Final is clearly the feature at Addington Raceway this Friday night. Heat winners Midnight Diamond (20m) and Four Wise Woman (10m), both driven to their wins by John Dunn, could not have been more impressive – albeit in very different ways. The former was fresh up since December last year, having her first run for Robert and Jenna Dunn, overcoming a cautious start before storming home to beat race rival Love Walked In by 2½ lengths over the distance of Friday’s final (2600m). Conversely, Four Wise Woman was positively driven to lead over the final lap in the shorter heat (2000m), eventually winning by two lengths over One Mhor For Heather and the smart Amistozio. Dunn has elected to drive Midnight Diamond, which may be the best guide to who he considers the stronger chance of the pair. It looks like more than a race in two, however, with the John Morrison-trained and driven Amistozio looking to continue her impressive form line. Importantly, she gets a start over the heat winners, while the consistent Love Walked In is always a threat.
The feature pacing race is the Concrete Brothers Mobile Pace, with last-start third placegetter in the Garrard’s NZ Derby, Bettors Anvil, returning to the races. The Steve and Amanda Telfer-trained 4YO finished third behind Marketplace and Got The Chocolates back in November, won a trial last week, but will need to overcome the outside barrier over 1980m. Drawn to his inside are last-start winner and stablemate Tact Teva, in-form Trump Card, and the smart mare Amaretto Franco.