Brighteyebushytail is a name more fitting of a tree squirrel than a racehorse but the racehorse of that name would hardly care what his name is. Duncan Howells, who saddled a double at Greyville on Sunday, appears to have a decent sophomore on his hands and the son of Dynasty looks destine for far better things than the Excel Tax & Accounting MR 66 Handicap that he contests at Greyville tomorrow.

Duncan Howells

The colt finished well down the field in his sprint debut but is unbeaten in two over ground. He shed his maiden beating the well fancied Kapen Pride who has since franked that form and then got up to beat the giant Haddington at his last outing. Louis Goosen’s gelding has paid tribute to that form, winning three times since.

If there is a chink in Brighteyedbushytail’s armour it is that he has not been out since late August but even if he steps onto the track a little ring-rusty he should still have too much class for the opposition.

Anton Marcus has been conspicuous by his presence at Ashburton on some mornings and is picking the plums in the Howells string. Byline has the worst of the draw in the Say NO to Violence Maiden Plate, always a major disadvantage over 1400m on the Greyville turf, but Graham Elliot’s home-bred is a winner without a penalty. She should never have been beaten by stable companion Roy’s Kaitrina last time out and with Marcus aboard there are unlikely to be any mistakes tomorrow.

Kinsky’s Crusade can open proceedings in spite of her disappointing last effort over 1600m. Corine Bestel’s filly may have found the trip too far as her sprint form was promising. She drops back to the minimum trip here and with blinkers on for the first time the balance of the field are likely to be doing the chasing come the final furlong.

Mighty Mercury looks the part in the second where he is rated a couple of kilos better than his opposition. Charles Laird’s runner contested an apprentice handicap last time out that turned into a race of pot luck, but prior to that got to wining a neck of Winter Blues with Marcus in the irons. This will be his third run after a break and he makes a lot of appeal. Captain Cobalt seems to prefer the poly after a below par performance on the turf last time out and along with Fives Wild is the pick of the balance.

Wendy Whitehead appears to have a smart filly in the making in Twice As Smart who stepped out of the maidens into a tough handicap and finish second to Accidental Tourist who was recording her third win on the bounce. That win earned her a further two-point rise in the handicap but that should not be enough to stop her here although she does faces some seasoned older horses.

By Andrew Harrison