A Word with ... Andrew Morris | Canterbury Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Canterbury

Harness Racing NZ marketing and information manager Andrew Morris talks to Nick Tolerton before the Harness Jewels meeting in Ashburton tomorrow.

# What is the meeting worth?

$1.5 million. It will be the richest-ever race meeting of any code in New Zealand.

# Why is it at Ashburton?

The series was designed to complement rather than restructure the existing group race structure for the better horses. The meeting at Ashburton traditionally falls at this time of year and we thought that was a good fit. And we were looking for a point of difference, and Ashburton offers that. It is only an hour down the road from the second or third largest metropolitan area. And they have an ideal set-up to run fast, exciting races where the best horses can compete in a very good environment and be successful.

# And this gathers all the best horses in NZ in various categories in one meeting?

Basically we have taken the top 12 stake-earners in nine categories; two, three, and four-year-olds, girls and boys, and trotters!

# Ashburton is a very fast track. Are you hoping for records?

We do not race over a mile, some would argue, as much as we should, and a lot of the major tracks are not set up for miles: Addington raceway is a classic example where the mile starts on the point of a bend. The idea is to get the best horses going fast so they will break some records.

# On a superstar programme, what will be the most interesting races?

Race three, the three-year-old fillies, features One Dream, the filly of the year. She is only been beaten twice, and won well over half a million dollars, and she is drawn well and her connections have made it clear they want her to go as fast as she can. That may open the race up a bit for an upset: There are some very good horses drawn around her. Race five, the clash of the four-year-olds between Monkey King and the Australian champion Divisive, will be a mighty, mighty clash and TV3 are covering it.

And the best race from a betting perspective could be race eight, the two-year-old colts and geldings; very, very open. We thought Ohoka Arizona may have been the top dog but he is drawn badly and you have got a whole raft of horses coming through, the likes of Sound of Thunder, Fiery Falcon, Mattnamaras Band, Steve McQueen, Absolute Magic; a very good, even field. And the last race, we have done quite well in getting Changeover whose record this season is second to none; he is the dominant force in three-year-old racing, but he is drawn badly and his race will be dictated to by others.

There is a group of horses like Montecito who are coming up and been very impressive, and Gotta Go Cullen, last year best two-year-old. So the mix for that race is exciting.

# Got a couple of roughies for readers to make their fortunes on?

In race three One Dream will be the shortest priced favourite all day, but if there is a chance she gets tipped up it can only be by one horse, Belletti, who is drawn No.1. On the fixed odds at present I think she is paying $11, so it's not bad money for a horse that does have a rough chance to upset a hot favourite. And in race seven, my uncle, he is going to kick me for this, has a trotter called Solar Flash, and he looks very good. He is a horse that is good enough to win, I have no doubt on that. But he will need a bit of luck. And all good things come in threes, if there is a bolter in race six, the two-year-old fillies, which is another very even contest, there is.

So Deep coming down from Auckland, staying with Colin De Filippi and he will drive. She is very very tough. I think she ihas had a good prep, and the sort of horse that can go hard the whole way which will put her at an advantage over some of the other girls.

# Have long have you been with HRNZ now?

Since 1996.

# What got you into racing?

Pretty much a racing family. My mother was an administrator and worked in this building (NZHR headquarters) in the early 80s, and my father dabbled about with a couple and the wider family had brood mares and bred a few horses sold at the sales. I read the Turf Digest before I went to school! It is a great industry to be part of.

# What horses have been favourites of yours?

We grew up next door to the Williams who trained Master Mood to a New Zealand Cup in 86 and I lived there a couple of years hanging around the horses, and Bonnie's father had Lord Module. He was like a rabid pit bull on acid but just an amazing creature, and you just had to be in awe of his ability and his presence and his physical make-up. And I loved Bonnie's Chance. And I guess these days it's the horses I back that can win and the horses I race myself!