Key Takeaways
- Ashburton trainer/driver John Morrison has a strong presence at the Ashburton track with eight drives and several each-way chances.
- Morrison’s top chances include Destiny’s Dream in Race 11 and Raknruin in Race 10.
- Morrison is driving for several trainers, including Dean Taylor, Fred Scott, Malcolm Shinn, and Ben Waldron.
- The meeting was transferred from Methven due to bad weather and will celebrate the various clubs of Canterbury.
- The first race starts at 12:10pm, with a total of 11 races scheduled for the day.
Introduction to the Ashburton Meeting
The Ashburton track is set to host a exciting day of racing, with trainer/driver John Morrison having a strong presence with eight drives and several each-way chances. The meeting, which was originally scheduled to take place at Methven, was transferred due to bad weather. Despite the change in venue, Morrison is confident that his horses will perform well, particularly Destiny’s Dream in the final race of the day, Race 11. With a number of credible runs at the recent Marlborough circuit, Morrison believes that Destiny’s Dream has a good chance of winning, provided she gets a good run.
Morrison’s Top Chances
Morrison considers Destiny’s Dream to be one of his best chances, and he is quietly confident of a good run from the mare. He notes that she has been a great performer for the stable over the past 18 months and has been jumping out of her skin since returning from Blenheim. Another horse that Morrison has high hopes for is Raknruin, which lines up in The Papanui – Founders Cafe Pace over 2400m. Although Raknruin had a disappointing run at Roxburgh, Morrison believes that she has the potential to win quite a few races and is pleased with her draw, which should give her an easy run.
Driving for Other Trainers
In addition to driving his own horses, Morrison will also be driving for several other trainers, including Dean Taylor, Fred Scott, Malcolm Shinn, and Ben Waldron. One of the horses he will be driving for Taylor is Scotlynn Fortress, which is the shortest priced favourite of the day at $1.95FF. Morrison notes that Scotlynn Fortress is a handy maiden and should go well if he gets a nice run. He will also be driving Bodacious for Taylor, although at longer odds of $20.00FF. Morrison believes that Bodacious can go near enough when it settles handy, and he will be hoping for an economical run.
Other Drives
Morrison will also be driving two runners for trainer Fred Scott, including Take A Chance On Me and Courtney Rose. While Take A Chance On Me may need to find a few lengths to be a threat, Courtney Rose looks to have stronger credentials and should run well from a good draw. Morrison will also be driving Kushite Warrior for trainer Malcolm Shinn, which has been steadily improving this campaign and looks set for another honest effort. Finally, he will be driving Georgie Zukov for local trainer Ben Waldron, which will line up favourite at career start 81 and is definitely improving.
The Meeting Schedule
The meeting is set to get underway at 12:10pm, with a total of 11 races scheduled for the day. With a number of exciting horses and trainers involved, it promises to be a great day of racing at the Ashburton track. Morrison’s strong presence and multiple drives add an extra layer of interest to the meeting, and fans will be eager to see how his horses perform. With the meeting celebrating the various clubs of Canterbury, it is sure to be a fun and exciting day out for all involved.