ROD Pike will float Railemup, Banyula Fella and Norvic Flyer north for today’s Tamworth Harness Racing Club meeting.
And while the Sawyer’s Gully trainer-driver considers all three a “handy chance”, winning the Pryde’s Easifeed Pace (1980MS) with Norvic Flyer would be special.
The five-year-old daughter of Sands A Flyin’ is raced by his father and nan, Mal Pike and Robyn Jolliffe.
“She won at Newcastle (2030MS C2-C3 Pace) before a close third over a mile (1609MS) there again last Friday,” he said.
“She’s not drawn the best (6) and if they go hard early, she might feel the pinch. But she can really get home.
“It’ll depend really on how the race is run.”
Banyula Fella was also unlucky with the seven alley in the Easters Landscape Supplies Pace (1980m).
“He’s doesn’t like to chase too much. He’s really got to be up the front to do well,” he said.
“But going on his third and second last starts, he’s got to be a chance.
“Three starts back he was second over 2030MS (C0-C1) at Newcastle, then he won by 13 metres over the same distance at Newcastle.”
Banyula Fella followed with an unimpressive 30m seventh over 3020m in Newcastle C2 Only on September 13.
“It was a bit harder company, and it was wet, and he’s not really fussed about the wet,” Pike said.
Drawn best of the trio is Railemup (four) in the 1980m The Pub Group Pace.
“He’s very consistent and all his runs have been pleasing,” Pike said.
Four starts back, he grabbed his ninth career victory when he won the 1609m C3-C4 Pace at Newcastle on August 24.
He followed that with seventh at Menangle and fourth at Newcastle before finishing eight metres third over 1609m in C3-C5 company on the same track.
“He got too far back on the fence in his last start but he came to the line very strongly.”
Pike also has four outside drives.
He will also step into the gig for Limbri-based Stacie Elliott (Noveau Shannon, Shannons Earl and Heartland Bid) and Tamworth trainer Tony Missen (Bad Trouble).
