Ellerslie Twilight

If we get a night like tonight tomorrow, Ellerslie will go off.

The quaddie looks gettable, but take note that the rail is out 12.5m.

Zambezi looks a good way to start the night.

Here's my thoughts on the quaddie.

First Leg Race 5: Our Dream Catcher and Blonde Bombshell bring the best formlines and are must includes. Glendoveer who was second at her only start wanted to lay out at Te Rapa and should appreciate going the opposite way round tomorrow. November Rain is a nice filly but gets back and could struggle to make ground with the rail out. You should be ok with 1, 2 and 4.

2nd Leg Race 6: The aristocratic Maciano was running on nicely enough for third on debut and the first two home are classy sorts who would win this. He has drawn well and should get a soft run so is a must include. Mangaroa Molly is a promising type who has been crying out for 1600m but gets back. Neptune could get away with a soft lead and be hard to run down. The hardest leg if Maciano is not what we all hope he is. 4, 8, 9, and 12.

3rd Leg Race 7: You can get away with only two here, Nadege and Gallant. Nadege has struck me as a Cups horse and 1600m is ideal at this stage of her preparation. She goes up 3kgs on her last start but is a big strong mare who should cope. Gallant made ground strongly from off the pace last start and should run handier from the draw. Like Nadege he's always looked like a horse capable of reaching a much higher mark. 5 and 11.

4th Leg Race 8: So Pristine gets in well here for a two win horse and has the draw to sit handy. Tanha Strike may have won his only start at Dargaville but he ran time and had looked smart at the trials previously. He also has drawn well and should be hard to run down. 5 and 7 in the last leg.

Should be an excellent nights racing

My Summer Six

I always try and slip out to Avondale for their Guineas. It's no longer the great Derby guide but it s still capable of throwing up a good horse.

On paper this year's field looked a bit down in quality, certainly compared to last year, and I thought the race panned out that way. Only four lengths covered the field across the line, bar one horse.

I would be following Celtic Fantasy out of the race. I like his style of racing; he goes forward, relaxes and scraps. It would be interesting to see him get some cover in a race; he maybe able to really let down. Remember he's doing this after just three starts. There's upside with this guy and he's bred and races like he'll get over more ground.

Celtic Fantasy is an interesting horse on type. I'd expected to see either a big tall Giant's Causeway or some resemblence to Pentire Celbre his damsire, in other words lightly boned. Instead he looks to have thrown to the Mill Reef line through his grand dams sire Doyuon. He's generously barelled and proportioned through the shoulder, of medium size and quite athletic.

He didn't get hot in the yard but he had two handlers with him, just more of an indication he's very much learning his trade.

Here's six horses worth following over the summer.

Wealth Princess: A mark of a good horse is an ability to win regardless of race pattern, and that's something this four-year-old mare has already exhibited in her unbeaten three-start career. Blessed with rare aceleration she is able to get out of tight spots as she showed with her win at Te Rapa on Labour Monday. The 41's quote for the Railway is way overs.

Attackum: Running on nicely freshup behind Richard Breymer at Counties. Still lacking some ringcraft but very gifted sprinter as his domestic efforts last autumn, showed running fast sectionals and carrying weight. Subsequently ventured to Australia where his best performance was a third behind rising star Battlefield. Adds intrigue to an even lot of sprinters set to tackle the Railway and Telegraph.

Our Heir Apparent: Never a hope in the VRC Derby after getting back in a slowly run contest. By Zabeel there's good reason to believe he'll be further improved this preparation. Doesn't have the tactical speed of Monaco Consul but if it's a genuinely run NZ Derby he's a legitimate danger to the likely favourite.

Leica Scotch: I must confess to just having a "gut feel"about this Zabeel entire. First up after a year away he ran home strongly for second over 1400m to promising mare Dasoudi. Should improve with the run and more distance but don't get too carried away second up as I'm picking the fresh up run will have taken the sharpness from his legs. Will probably target a race like the Dunstan Final but I pick we can pour rather a tall one after a race such as the Hawkes Bay Cup.

O'Cartier: Showed at the recent Cup Carnival that he had recaptured the form he displayed up north last summer when fourth in a very strong Couplands Mile then backing up to win over 1400m in fast time on Cup day with 58.5kgs. Not a pretty horse particularly when at full gallop but blessed with plenty of heart and class. Remember he gave Wall Street 4.5kgs in the Couplands.

November Rain: This seasons three year-old fillies crop looks to have depth and although currently a maiden this filly won't be out of her depth aginst the better types once the distances get past 1600m. Her sire Stravinsky while better known for his sprinter/milers has left Oaks winners such as Serenade Rose who like November Rain features the stamina influence Sadlers Wells in her female remove.

You ve got to love summer.

Ellerslie Observations 28 November 2009

Ventured out. Amazing sometimes what you find when you least expect it..

There was a good vibe on course which came about on the back of the day been a NZ Racing Xmas at the Races initiative. An encouraging start for the concept.

The rail out 10m gave on pace horses a distinct advantage. Unlike Wanganui the club dodged a bullet with ominous dark clouds all afternoon, which in a stroke of fortune, only displayed their venom as the last race left the gates.

You'll have read about the performances of Desoudi and Run Like Al so I'll leave them alone. Here are some others that caught my eye.

Leica Scotch: An interesting prospect this guy. 1400m fresh up for a year, no trial or blinkers; not exactly characteristics to inspire you to back a Zabeel are they?

He maybe small in stature but he makes up for it. His eye reeks of courage and when he walks, his hindquarters literally touch his ears. Reminds me on type of Hades and Vengeance of Rain.

Got home nicely for second to Desoudi. I don't know what Roger James has in mind but it wouldn't surprise me if he went via the Dunstan to something later on like the HB Cup.

Showcause: Probably still 12 months away physically. Never a winning hope on Saturday but as is his pattern, his best work was his last 100m. Strikes me as a genuine two miler who given his liking for Ellerslie could end up back here in 15 months for an important assignment.

Martial Art: When the moneys goes on a horse from a big stable like it did on this guy on Saturday, it's usually not miss directed.

Was going to win the moment he entered the parade ring. A strongly made individual he looked months ahead of the rest on maturity and he knew it. I've been looking for an NZ Derby horse to follow through to the race and I think I've found him.

Charlotte Russe: More attractive than a lot of Red Ransoms, particularly around the head, which she probably gets from her grand dam who could leave a stunning yearling.

Winding into the race when denied racing room on at least two occasions in the straight, this four-year-old mare will end up a live chance in a good staying handicap before seasons end.

He's Glovin It: I got caught talking to someone and missed seeing him in the yard but looked a lovely big scopey type in his preliminary. Actually could see some resemblance to the Towkay-Millie Munroe filly now racing as The Blonde Bombshell, who hails from the same family. Nice family this and moving again after a hiatius.

I like staying horses lwho get home under their steam and hit the line, and this guys has some of these traits.

I left in the pouring rain thinking one of these horses is going to win a big race, one day, somewhere. Maybe the next month or 6 weeks will tell me which one. It could well be the little guy with small horses syndrome.

Van Nistelrooy: Finding His Mark

Synchronicity is pretty neat.

I was doing a bit of thinking this week about the impact here of Van Nistelrooy, fuelled of course by his daughters 'almost' group 2 double at Pukekohe last weekend.

You know how sometimes you see a horse for the first time and it stops you in your tracks? I found one of those today, a filly, hiding beneath the trees in the back parade ring at Ellerslie before the sixth, a maiden race over 1400m.

This girl didn't need a spray tan or cosmetic surgery; a lovely rich chestnut, she had the mid section of a Swedish Pilate's instructor; the shoulder of an Olympic butterfly swimmer, and floated - even at a walk, like an angel.

A rye smile came over me when I opened my race book to find she was a filly by Van Nistelrooy. I had to come home and write something.

I don't recall a hue and cry from breeders when Van Nistelrooy stopped shuttling to NZ after the 2006 season.

Sure there was some promising types around but for a two-year-old group two winning son of Storm Cat, breeders had expected, rightly or wrongly , fast early maturing horses. Pit Lane, from the Marauding mare Disco Girl, won three successive races at 2 in Victoria, and then ran midfield in the Hustlers's Caulfield Guineas, but on the whole you'd have been kind saying it was a 'promising' start.

After his daughter Boundless triumphed at long odds in the 2008 New Zealand Oaks, I like many I suspect thought that here was simply another Philco or Regal Empress.

Okay her unlucky second in the AJC Oaks two months later showed that Boundless was actually a high class staying filly. Still, it was very much a one swallow team at that stage.

Unfortunately Boundless couldn't carry on the VN momentum last season for after a close fourth in the Kelt on an interrupted preparation, she failed to fire in Australia and went to the paddock.

But almost on cue the last twelve months has seen the emergence of some high class female sprinter/miler types by the stallion headed by Telegraph place getter Ruud Van Slaats, Anniversary Handicap winner Striker and the stakeswinning Bella Renza.

And another mare who looks capable of joining those stakeswinning ranks is the lightly tried Scarlett Vanhara. A fast finishing and slightly unlucky third in the Breeders Stakes at Pukekohe, the beautifully athletic four-year old, expertly handled by trainer Ross Elliot, should be very competitive in summer races like the Rich Hill and Thorndon Mile's.

I can already hear some of you saying but what about his colts. Fair enough he seems a bit under represented there but if you understand Hong Kong form you'll appreciate just how good a horse More Bountiful is. Voted their Most Improved Horse for the 2007/08 season, the Helen Phinney bred gelding converted that promise to a group one win last season and once again he'll be competitive with HK's best this season between 1400 and 2000m.

Another horse capable of adding to the VN momentum is the three-year filly La Collina who ran just back of midfield in Friday's Levin Classic.

Which leads me to the question as to how are we likely to mark VN. I think sometimes we forget how few stallions actually 'make it'. But what is making it ? I think sometimes we can be too narrow with that definition. Does it always have to mean just stakeswinning progeny?

Some stallions can contribute to the evolution of our breed in other ways, be it as broodmare sires or just simply as propagators of phenotypes. I can already hear some saying but if you can't pass on class what good are you doing the gene pool. Now my school science marks were only marginally better than my french grades but I do believe you are good servant to your breed by simply passing on desirable physical attributes. For it's when these genes are united with the right class factor genes, and sometimes it takes a generation or too, that a high class horse is the result.

So what's the VN's legacy going to be in these parts? Having left a number of high class female performers re known for their toughness and athleticism, these mares will become welcome additions to our broodmare gene pool in the years ahead. And that's where I feel his presence will be most felt.

Despite his improving statistic's I suspect VN won't be rushed back to our shores any time soon but in his own way he's left a mark on our industry.

By the way that sweet looking filly's name is Denali Dancer. She'll keep.

Still A Way To Go

There's little doubt our racing industry has come a long way in regards professional standards over the last 5 or so years. The Australian born Chief Steward whose name just escapes me played a significant part in this, particularly with creating some accountability notably amongst the jockey ranks.

I still saw a couple of things this week that disturbed me, particularly as someone who enjoys a bet.

At Rotorua a well backed first starter hit the running rail that hard - she may have even tried to jump the running rail - she came back to scale with blood pouring from a leg injury.

Yet you read the stewards report and all it states is that " she over raced during the middle stages".

There is a big difference between over racing and hitting the fence that hard. The later has more seriously impacted her ability to finish off the race.

Secondly and yes I talk through my pocket with this one. Yesterday at Hawkes Bay Volgus, who has run on the speed or near enough to it in his three prior starts is dropped out of the gates a distant last. They hack at best up front and the jockey makes no effort to improve until the leaders put the pace on from the 600m at which stage he is four wide in a five horse field. You just don't run sub 33 second 600ms at Hastings unless you are an Excellent.

There is no way in my mind that Volgus was given every chance to win that race. Okay I appreciate that connections have him on a Derby campaign and are probably trying to get him to settle but if he was ridden to instructions yesterday where was the announcement to punters prior to the start that these tactics would attempt to be employed.

As a punter there's still things with NZ racing sometimes that would make you place a bet on a Sicilian Maiden before you d touch a Kiwi race.

So What Do You Think Now?

Just like any sport, horse racing has it's share of anti climaxes.

It would be great but there are not Cox Plate moments like Saturday every week.

I got the impression a lot of fans thought the Caulfield Guineas - do you remember that race - was a bit of a let down.

Before the race the media and other industry players, some respected enough to make lofty assessments , were in awe of the Australian three-year-old crop. Some were calling it equal to the class of 99 or even more dramatically, on par with Ochy and co from 96.

And then thanks to an unhearlded colt in Starspangledbanner and a group of jockeys who pannicked, more reputations came crashing down in one minute and 36 seconds than in the Roosters pre season.

But three weeks can be a long time in horse racing and now suddenly there is a little redemption for the crop of 2009.

So You Think has grabbed Denman's mantle and some with his dramatic Cox Plate victory and Manhatten Rain ran right up to Gai's assessment of him with his tough second to Cumming's latest star.

It doesn't stop there; even the often maligned VRC Derby looks like shaping up as one of the more even contests in many years. Shamoline Warrior who looked to have the race at his mercy a fortnight ago may still be able to salvage Mark Kavanagh's spring but he will have a battle on his hands with the likes of the rangy Hanks, the professional Extra Zero and the kiwi pair of Monaco Consul and Our Heir Apparent.

History will show that 2009 was a pretty good vintage.

Bachelor Duke: Maybe It's The Heir Down Under?

I've never really figured out why some stallions do well in the NH but are not nearly as dominant down under or vice versa. The most obvious recent example is Gallileo.

There was a theory put forward going back before Montjeu and Scenic 'took off ' that the Sadlers Wells line wouldn't succeed in the SH because the breeds stock were too light boned to cope with the firmer tracks and were more suited to the softer European going.

I'm sure differences between racing environments do dictate performance just as you'd be odds on to win a debate arguing that Langfuhr, Thunder Gulch and Distorted Humour failed down under because their stock showed a strong pre disposition to the dirt tracks that we don't have. But turn it around and why has More Than Ready, predominantly a sire of dirt performers
in the USA, been so much more successful in Australia.

The Oaks Stud's Bachelor Duke could be about to become the newest member of stallion's suffering from location based performance anxiety club.

In the NH Bachelor Duke's performance is decidedly average. After a relatively promising start with his two-year-olds, including a group three winner, his three-year-olds have failed to live up to that early promise.

It's early days for the shuttle stallion down under but the signs look a lot more encouraging.

In Keyora, Single Currency and Prince of Wales, the second-season sire has three distinct chances for the 2000 Guineas and the Levin Classic both at group one level. That's a pretty useful statistic made even more significant when you consider that's from 51 live foals in his first SH season.

Don't be put off by the 40 to 1 winning dividend and that some form analysts have rated this years Hawkes Bay Guineas a 'swoopers' race following the fast early sectionals. Keyora beat a Guineas field with some depth and had to come down the outside section of track which was significantly inferior in condition to the inside section on Kelt day.

The unbeaten Single Currency may only have won a maiden at Taupo and a midweek R70 at Hastings but it was the ease of both victories which left the impression that his future lies in a much stronger grade.

Some may have thought Prince of Wales a tad over-rated after he could only manage third as favourite in his final juvenile assignment the Listed Castletown Stakes at Foxton back in June.

On closer examination the Paul Moroney trained colt was probably entitled to be cut a little slack.

While Prince of Wales had won his previous start on a slow track at Tauranga, young horses often get away with such performances against their own age group on tracks they don't prefer and a slow surface at Foxton has beeen the undoing of many a more highly rated horse. Add to that his running on a left handed track for the first time and getting trapped three wide for a good part of the race and the good looking colt still deserved to go to his winter quarters as one of the more likely candidate's for group honours at three - oh and don't forget Aspinal, who finished behind him in the Castletown has since run third in the Hawkes Bay Guineas.

His fillies are a bit thinner on the ground so far this season but Bewitch who was twice stakes placed at two and Obsession who also looked a likely sort are both down to resume shortly.

Before you start thinking that Bachelor Duke is only a sire of males, think again because his best runner to date in the NH is the filly Luminous Eyes, a group three winner at two and group three placed this term.

Horse breeders have longer memories than Laurie Mains and the deeds - or lack of more to the point - of Miswaki's most celebrated sire sons in this country in the form of Le Belvedere and Rossini would have made Bachelor Duke's early promotion difficult despite his resume containing success in the Group One Irish 2000 Guineas.

The fact that he was from a Seattle Slew mare would have made The Oaks Marketing and Nominations manager's job even more difficult - but he s got broad shoulders - for despite 'Slews' legendary status as a sire of sires in the USA, the mostly dirt propagator has had much less success outside his home land.

As types the Bachelor Duke's tend to be medium sized with attractive heads and well balanced athletic bodies. It's far from a criticism such is their quality in front, but often they are better from the wither forward than behind the saddle.

Already the influence of the Oak's GM Rick Williams has come through in the pedigree's of Bachelor Duke's better runners. Williams who had great success when he presided over Waikato Stud with targeted line breeding to influential matrons, particularly with their Pompeii Court, seems to have cottoned onto the genetic horse power of duplicating the taproot mare Special through her full sister Lisadell - the great grand dam of Bachelor Duke - with significant impact.

In the sorts of results that make all line breeding theorists run to the top of the nearest hill, Prince of Wales, Obsession and Keyora all feature the duplication.

But theories aside at the end of the day it probably pays to not get too over analytical about the variation of performance between hemispheres and put it down to just another quirk of horse racing and breeding that keeps us enthusiast's on our toes and driven to breed the next champion.

And for the longterm good of our industry in particular it's refreshing to have unearthed a mould breaking bloodline for incorporation into a genetic pool saturated with so much close-up Northern Dancer, Danzig and Danehill blood.

Arise the Duke.

Kelt Observations

I walked the track about 11am on Friday morning. The rail was back in it's true position after been out 4m for Windsor Park day and 2m on the first day.

The difference in the quality of going between the inside say about 2 horsewidths and that next section of track was like night and day.

As a consequence if you were making your runs further out than 2 horse widths on Kelt day you were severely disadvantaged.

There were two races on the Kelt card both with different end results which supported this theory. They were the Guineas and the last.

In the Guineas the went like cut cats up front after the Hombre and others drawn wide were keen to find the rail. Sure the runs of Keyora and St Germaine were impressive coming down the outside in the worst part of the track but they didn't distance the leading pack when conceivably they should have.

I wouldn't drop The Hombre on that run. Apparently John Barry had felt he hadn't come through his middle day run as well as he could. He sweated up markedly on the day, the horse that is not John, which sometimes indicates all is not 100%. I will be interested to see if they give him a break now.

The two up front went quickly in the last too but there wasn't quite the pressure of the Guineas and the jockeys rated Mamasan and Pinnafero expertly. They kicked off the corner and the race was over.

This rail bias, rather than on pace bias has played a relevant part now on two out of the last four Kelt days and on both occasions - Legs in 2006 the other - it has come on the back of a wet second day.

Logic says you reserve the best ground for your feature day but maybe it's worth looking at racing in the true position on the first day, before going out 4m on the second day. That way the rail won't be true virgin turf on Kelt day.

It may encourage more of the serious punting fraternity to open their wallets on the final day. I note turnover on Kelt day was down as much as 19% which is probably mostly to do with the times but worth considering all the same.

Ánd I won't be dropping Thundermore on his Guineas run. He'd gone on tremendously physically from his first day win and I'm a sucker for the good looks. I just wished when I stood in the tote que that I had reminded myself he had only two lifetime starts. The Guineas was a pressure cooker race. Maybe it's more symptomatic with colts but inexperienced horses can often switch off when they get crowded. Like Denman he'll keep.

Some Light On The Caulfield Cup

So the Godolphin and Cumani charges have landed in Melbourne. I can hear the cynics already.

I shouldn't be amongst them - Jardines Lookout helped me to a decent share of a big Melbourne Cup trifecta one year.

Sure the list of casualties is long but when the NH visitors turn up with their A game, they are a multiple players delight. Taufan's Melody the winner of the demolition derby which doubled as the 98 Caulfield Cup was friendless down under at 66/1 and last years winner on the Heath, All The Good, returned almost 50/1.

Before you run to your computers to study race records, here's a tip - if these sorts of prices didn't already tell you - the Vinnie Roe's and Vintage Crop's aside, there's little in the way of a form pattern to the performances of the NH horses downunder.

But as with most things, try something enough times and those with the perseverance and resources will eventually find a formula that works as best it can opposed by the nuances that are staying handicaps in a different timezone and climate.

It's a formula that is starting to pass the experiment stage and two key ingredients are the Godolphin and Cumani stables.

So am I in the camp of the foreigners? I have been impressed with what I've seen of Kirklees's races. He has good tactical speed enabling him to race on the pace, where he settles well, and kick for home. It''s difficult to win Caulfield Cups with 56kgs but the other fundamentals are there for him to be in the first three.

Cima De Triomphe looked to me to be a different kettle of fish. He seems to switch on and off and looks to need to be held up. I just got the impression - rightly or wrongly - that he may not be the toughest. Who am I to question Luca Cumani and Damien Oliver but I'm going to lay him in this race.

I''ve liked Light Vision for a while now. He's just that slow maturing, patiently handled staying horse who gets in these type of races with little or no fuss and weight. And a particularly good attribute he has for Caulfield is his ability to race on the pace. Although initially disappointed with his wide barrier there is not a great deal of speed in the race and he should be able to possie up in the first 4 or 5 by the 1800m. I feel he's a similar type of horse to the likes of Duoro Valley and Barbaricus who have placed in this race at long odds the last two years.

My other banker today is Roman Emperor trained by the master whose eyelashes can be seen from outer space. 'Bart has given him a slow build up and the last two starts he has looked to come into the race but just lacked a finishing kick. The blinkers go on today for the first time since his AJC Derby triumph and that should be the touch that can see him sprint more keenly off what should be a handy in running spot from barrier 4.

Horses that run well in this race tend to be either the class horses dropping back in weight from WFA racing who can position reasonably handy to the pace, the less classier handicappers which I described above or the real improving types who have literally jumped through the briddle during the spring and beaten the handicapper. In the later category horses like Ethereal and Railings come to mind from recent times. Further back and you come across the likes of Arctic Scent.

Viewed and more significantly Predatory Pricer because of the greater weight drop, fit into the first category. Viewed was a touch unlucky in this contest last year and I don't believe the weight rise this year needs to be a consideration - he s good enough and physically more mature enough to cope. It's his pattern of racing to get back and a lot of the time - not all the time - those horses don't win this race. He's good enough to be in the money though.

I predict Predatory Pricer will be ridden agressively to get handy this afternoon. I see there is likely to be a dead at best track which won't help him. If he had drawn better and the Melbourne weather was more settled he would have been clearly my top selection.

Allez Wonder fits into the final category and can resurrect the very good record 4 year-old mares had in this race in the 90s and early this century.

Although asked to carry 1.5kgs more than Allez Wonder, another four-year-old mare the kiwi Daffodil is in form and her final 100m of the Kelt was strong. She has shown she can travel and the rain around Melbourne is going to help her.

The best of the longer priced runners I feel is Red Lord who carries no weight and should be ridden more patiently today than he has recently.

In summary I feel Roman Emperor and Light Vision can be in the money at good odds and you could look to take them in multiples around Kirklees,Predatory Pricer, Daffodil and Allez Wonder, with Viewed, Master O'Reilly and Red Lord to run third.

It's traditionally a difficult race for punters and this years contest is no different with an $8.50 favourite.

Ratings

I see Timeform earlier this week gave See The Stars a provisional rating of 140 stating " He is a once in a lifetime horse".

Timeforms top ratings over the years they ve existed, which is about 50 I think, are;


Brigader Gerard 144

Mill Reef 141

Sea The Stars 140

Dubai Millennium 140

Dancing Brave 140

Shergar 140


I was in the UK in 2002 and saw Rock of Gibralter who I think ended with a Timeform rating of "only" 135. I still consider him the best horse I ve seen in the flesh. How good must the Brigader or little Mill Reef have been.

Despite the best analysis, ratings are still subjective and given the variables, particularly track conditions, it must be difficult to line up horses from generation to generation, let alone from race to race.

Still over the years Timeform have developed a reputation for their objectivity and accuracy.

I ve seen a couple of new rating systems spring up over the last year or two which attempt to take a more global look at performance.

It would be an extremely useful tool for breeders and bloodstock buyers if a thoroughly global ratings system existed. Of course it would be too much to ask that it was as comprehensive a job as Timeform do of the UK form but even if it concentrated on stakes racing it would be decidely beneficial.

It would need to be less clynical than the NZ Free Handicap which I've often struggled with. Can someone explain to me how a horse who wins a four horse Listed two-year-old race on a wet track at Wingatui can be rated above a place getter in a competitive Matamata Breeders Stakes? Believe me it happens.

The English seem to do impartiality well - remember Chamberlain - so my vote would go to Timeform to manage a global system.

Just looking at those ratings, what a year 1971 must have been in the UK for racing fans.

The three year old crop featured Brigader Gerrad, Mill Reef, My Swallow ( who rated 138 I recall) and the french colt Caro.

Not too many would argue Timeform got those ratings right.

Speaking of three-year-old crops, this seasons in NZ is shaping up nicely. The HB Guineas could be the highlight of Kelt Day.

But how good is the Australian crop? I wondered if I d see a better vintage than the 99/00 season which contained the likes of Redoutes Choice, Testa Rosa, Commands, Align, Pins and Diatribe.

Denman, Trusting, More Than Great, Black Caviar, Shoot Out, Manhatten Rain and So You Think are a pretty good starting point, but time will tell. It maybe a good opportunity for a pro active studmaster to strike.

Pity Real Saga was retired. I wonder how Timeform would assess Denman?

Mudgeway

Organic whitebait?? And I thought some studs were pretty creative with their marketing.

Fair dinkum, I saw this sign on the way down to Hawkes Bay on the side of the road, south of Cambridge I think it was.

Speaking of things creative, I got told a good story at the races on Saturday about a guy who asks for extra gluten with his cake at cafes.

I like that one. I 'm going to order that, along with one I ve been wanting to ask for for a while, the double shot decaf. I guess as long as it's chic, some cafe in Auckland will serve it to me.

There's something pretty theraputic about coming over that rise on the Naiper Taupo Rd and seeing the splendour of the Hawkes Bay before you. And does it ever rain down there?

Well that should guarantee Graham Avery's allowance for a couple more months at least. I could do with it as you ll see.

Beautiful spring day, firm track, good horses, it was time to blow the cobwebs off the wallet.

I 'm not superstitious but I kind of knew I was in trouble when I ignored the winners of the first two races despite getting tipped into both.

And it got progressively worse. As you do, you then start to search for odds instead of sticking to your hunches - which shallow person said punting on the horses isn't a reflection of life.

Just to rub salt into the wounds my surething multi - The Pooka/Mufhasa/Wall Street went Waipukurau courtesy of Tavistocks head.

Anyway I'll stop playing the violin and here are some observations from the day.

Hastings must be one of the more picturesque courses in the country. You never tire of looking at the Kawekas especially this time of year when dappled in snow and the parade ring is sited perfectly to view the horses. I 'd love to grab an architect for the other facilities though. Put a second story with balcony on the Cheval Lounge and a sweeping carriageway on the back of the Members. The Lowry Public stand has probably the best views of any Public stand in the land and you wouldn'y have to do too much externally. Internally, it's a different matter. I 'll see if the Cloak Room is interested.

So Royal missed the jump in the first and was no hope afterwards but got home nicely. She paraded looking bright and is one to follow through the spring.

Thundermore - doesn't that name have a great ring to it - is clearly the horse to follow out of the 2nd and the blinkers should improve him further although he still needs to find a couple of lengths to match the Heckler, Flying Fulton, Kings Ransom and co in the Hawkes Bay Guineas.

Don't write off Benny the Ball on that run. He got a nasty check with 600 to run. He's a nice mover and there is a good word around for him.

One thing that did occur to me is that that horse of Rogersons, Gaston who beat Thundermore at Taupo must go okay. The third horse that day Rampant is highly regarded and remember Rampant pushed The Hombre on debut last season. I see he's nominated for the Wanganui Guineas this Saturday.

The Hombre was probably the most impressive winner on the day - he was over half a second quicker for his last 400m than Thundermore and Morelle - although I fancy some of those behind him will improve significantly. Corsage in partcular was very big in condition and she's likely to still be a run short going into the Gold Trail.

Blessed with the most magnificent of strides The Hombre is a sight in full flight. A big framed type he still has a bit more filling out to do and I trust they don't over race him in the spring because in 6 to 12 months time I feel he could be very exciting.

What odds Lucky Owners to top our second season sires list? With the Heckler still to step out this season, would Widden consider a shuttle?

It was good to see The Pooka return to form but I question what he beat. While he looked better physically on Saturday than he did the couple of times I saw him last season, he still doesnt carry the muscular definition he did when he was a two-year-old colt. Will he return to the form he displayed in the 2000 Guineas beating Alamosa and Rios?

I made a point of trying to watching as many of the Kelt contenders post race and All In Black certainly had the biggest blow. I though her run held merit. Not many could sustain runs around the outside all day and she came to the end of it 100 out. She may still have maturing to do physically and I think her best form could be in the autumn.

Racing horses is all about emotion and it was great to see some well sized groups of owners in the likes of Thundermore, The Hombre and Tavistock really enjoying the moment.

I've been to a few Mudgeways in recent years and I can't recall seeing so many of the main race looking so forward. Usually there's a few behind in their coat or sporting a partial winter girth but not last Saturday. I wonder if connections of some who won't contest one or both of the remaining legs thought here was their opportunity to take a Group One particularly with likes of Mufhasa going in fresh and drawing wide.

Mufhasa looks to have grown and thickened. To me last season he had a slight boyish look about him but on Saturday he looked liked he grown out of the jeans and tees into the three piece suit. I'd love to see him go to Aussie at the top of his form.

The aptly named Tavistock retains a lot of the classical looks of the English thoroughbred. Whilst not as appealing to the eye as say Nom De Jeu, particularly through the body, he has a lovely head and eye which befits his kind temprament.

Can he win the Kelt?

Not for me. I think the three tough races in 5 weeks may just find his constitution out. I would love to be proven wrong because the post race party would be huge and secondly he becomes a legitimate stallion prospect for our industry.

For mine the Kelt winner wasn't at the Bay on Saturday. He was getting home nicely enough in a much more sedate 1200m contest 4 hours north of there. And his hardest foe was standing in her box at Awapuni.

Beats a Berocca

Where is a good cup of coffee when you need it? Certainly not in Tahuna at 9am on a Sunday morning.

Devoid of sleep (blame the AB's and Mr Cuervo) I was beginning to question the trip in favour of a lie in and a cooked breakfast in the Village.

Thankfully a sense of direction is one of my few virtues, for although it must have been close on 20 years - it was known as Evergreen Lodge then - I managed to find Rich Hill in the early morning mist and drizzle.

Maybe it's the setting in the rolling hills that makes the very aptly named Rich Hill a little different. Most NZ studs I ve visited are pretty flat but contours have meant this place is set out a little differently and it works; from the paddock overlooking the farm gates with mares and their days old foals, to the grassy pitched stallion yards.

I was particularly looking forward to seeing the farms latest recruit, the English Derby winning three-year-old Sir Percy. I guess it had something to do with a friend having booked a mare into his court and taking criticism from a few people including yours truly, plus despite the malignment of winners of Derbies these days, you still rarely get to see the winners of such prestigious races in these parts and from good "old" English stock to boot, rather than that "common" line our friends across the ditch are so enamoured with.

He did not disappoint.

I remember reading an article once on a leading agent, an English chap I think he was. Starting out in the business he had recommended a mating to a client based on a stallion he had only seen in photos. The stallion was in fact very different in the flesh and did not suit the mare on physical compatibility and the result was not pretty. From then on, despite the horrendous gas and motel bills, he made a point of getting to some far flung posts around GB to physically inspect every new commercial stallion.

The photos I had seen of Sir Percy where of a washy bay, almost a little coarse and weak.

Actually he's a rather elegant horse of a rather rich bay clouring. A typical miler on type, he's of medium size and bone with good balance and a deep strong symetrical shoulder (a physical trait of his father Mark of Esteem) which is probably where he would have got that muscular wind up acceleration he displayed in most of his victories.

Probably the clincher for me was a lovely intelligent head and eye. Stood up in front of me for a time, I 'm sure he was looking me over, thinking, serves you right you silly old b...... for thinking you still a teenager and staying up half the night.

Slightly bigger than I had imagined, Pentire is your typical classic English thoroughbred and while some of those refined features, particularly around the girth (sounds all too familiar) after 12 odd years of Matamata grass are a little harder to disseminate, I don't imagine Pentire would have carried a lot of condition as a racehorse rather living on the nervous energy he displayed while paraded today.

A little short in front Pentire is possessed of a longish barrel which is offset by a good gaskin and hind quarters.

I was lucky enough to see Lion Hunter one day early in his racing career and had thought to myself then what a gorgeously made horse. Sure there was the dapled grey coat which is enough to make any horse lover weak at the knees but he had esquisite balance coupled with a beautiful way of moving.

Any Suggestion didnt take my breath away like dad but it's easy to see why breeders rushed to him last season with over 130 mares. It's no Banjo Paterson or even Tony Morris but "big" is the first word that comes to my mind after seeing him.

But he's not coarse at all, there's good balance, a big overstride, a pronounced wither and a lot of athleticisim. It's going to be fascinating to see what size yearling he leaves.

Before today I wasn't so sure about Sir Percy, the pedigree worried me slightly and despite been impressed with his race performances on DVD his photos were hardly inspiring.

Revigorated by my morning (and some Warehouse Songs and Stories) the question I kept asking myself as I headed home was is he going to be another English Derby winner to flop as a sire joining the ranks of Oath, High Rise, Benny the Dip, Erhaab and Shammit just some winners since 1990 who have been major disappointments in the breeding shed.

The critical difference is that Sir Percy had the speed to win a Grp 1 as a two-year-old. And no it wasn't a 1600m 4 runner slog in the Curragh mud but consistently the most competitive two-year-old race in Europe, the Dewhurst at 1400, where he beat the high class and subsequently ill fated Horatio Nelson.

And when you look at some of the more recent Derby winners who have gone onto become leading sires it is that 2 year-old speed that differentiates them from their contemparies.

Galileo, High Chaperal and Generous spring to mind from more recent times. Yes I can already hear someone demand of me to mention Dr Devious or Dr Who as I once saw him described. He didn't set the Ganges let alone the Thames on fire as a stallion. And Michael Phelps brother drowned in the bath...

Which got me thinking about pedigree. Did he outrun his? I'll save this for a rainy day for I have chores to do before the working week. Suffice I think it's a better pedigree than it looks on paper which is probably symptomatic of how insulated we have become down under over a couple of sire lines but thats a whole topic in itself.

Regardless of how he fares, hats off to John Thompson and the team for having the nous and kahunas to bring Sir Percy to our shores. We need more English Classic horses to revigorate our breed especially those blessed with his mile speed and type. Remember most were put off Pentire 12 odd years ago for reasons of his pedigree.

All Roads Lead To Te Teko

It had been a few years since I'd ventured to these trials - the days of Distinctly Secret I think.

To any budding Marco Polo's I'm pleased to report they ve now signposted the racecourse. Last time I ended up horendously lost - thank you AA.

The weather was fine throughout and the surface which was officially rated dead, did cut out on the inside gradually during the programme so I would ignore the slower times later in the day as they were scouting 4 and 5 horse widths off the rail from the turn by then.

I won't bother you with the obvious - the dailys are paid to do that tomorrow. I saw a few performances and a horse or 2 on type which you may like to paste away in your black book.

As far as the two-year-olds heats went I thought I was at Doremello Stud not Te Teko for a while, for there were Duelled's everywhere. For all I know Roggie may even have had the Clerks of the Course on one. As a type they did not strike me as two-year-olds, a rather unfurnished group, although the filly out of Tittletaat looked a runner.

The General Nediym - Zolius colt from Mark Walkers barn looked the most forward of all the babies out today. A typical well muscled example of his fathers get, it would surprise me if he is winless by Xmas.

Quiet trialists with scope for improvment were a couple from Peter McKays yard: the General Nediym colt from Little Deuce Coupe - a brute of a horse - along with a Commands colt from Apart.

Russianov (Keeninsky-Amy Cee) got home very nicely and out of a Yamanin Vital mare you d fancy him a bit later on and further than 600m! The Oaks crew should be happy enough with that start.

Finally from the babies heats, Savannah Prince was doing handstands and won have won by a gap if he had been let down.

Very little was asked of Prince of Wales, Six O Clock News and Tell a Tale with the later getting home very nicely the last 50m, a feakishly similar effort to his hitout at these corresponding trials last season.

St Germiane, after botching the start, found the line well under minimal urging. She look's to have developed during her break.

Il Quello Veloce who was hard held in second, paraded looking like she had thickened appreciably.

The easiest winner on the programme was La Bella Encosta. He d won another trail recently and I gather the agents have been circling.

The unraced Our Heir Apparent (Zabeel - La Quinta Gold by Encosta De Lago), who holds a VRC Derby nom, didn't really look to be handling the track but was doing some nice work late. A gorgeously balanced medium sized athlete - as befitting a 900k yearling - he looks an early winner once he strikes 1600m.

The John Sargent team who looked strong throughout, produced another nice trialist in Mr Thorpedo. The Thorn Park three-year-old who had run 2 solid races last season got home strongly.

Noel Harris only had a ride or 2 yesterday but his reason for attending became clear when he lead all the way for an easy win on Sandblaster, indicating the 5 year-old entire is well forward for a return to racing.

The terribly named Warrentherooster won nicely enough despite carrying a bit of condition. He had the most physical scope of the Savabeels I saw out at 2 so it will be interesting to see how he progressesd. This heat could have some form come out of it as the unraced One Cool Cat - Glenview Lass gelding who ran second, had won a trial at Rotorua last month and is well regarded by the Moroney stable.

It was getting chilly but I m glad I stayed on to see Penrickson take the 1200m Open Catchweight heat. A 6 year-old now, I had last seen him as a 2 year-old and he has furnished into a lovely lengthy horse. A roll forward horse he is going to pick up a nice race back in NZ this season.

Man I love the spring. Roll on Mudgway day.

Manawatu Stallion Parade 26 July

Palmerston North is a way from Auckland but there was an air of anticipation as I headed south.

I guess a lot of that feeling had to do with visiting farms I hadn't been too before, in particular the history ladden Fairdale establishment and the new kid in town Wellfield Lodge. Oh and of course, the chance to see Fully Fledged and Alamosa, two of the more interesting colonial bred stallions to go to stud in a while.

First stop Fairdale has seen much quieter times since the halycion days of Pakistan 2, but Fully Fledged gives them cause for optimism. First out though we saw Howbaddowantit. Looking taller than his advertised 16.1 hands he does'nt carry a lot of condition - maybe that's the nervous Nijinsky disposition coming through - he nevertheless looked in good condition for his 14 years.

Deep rich chestnut horses with white socks grab anyones attention but the next thing that struck me about Fully Fledged was his lovely kind honest eye. Having Bjorn Baker, on hand to extoile his former charges virtues was a nice touch and he certainly emphasised "Freddies" personality and nature.

Preconceptions are horid things and if you were like me, you were asking yourself whether Freddies tussle with the running rail at Trentham and some chicane manouveres at Ellerslie one day were a sign of some waywardness and dare I say it that word that no studmaster wants to hear -ungenuineness. His campaign in Sydney this autumn had shown me he was far from 'soft' and Sunday confirmed that these early indiscretions were simply maturity pains.

Not yet four years of age and only a little over two months out of training, Fully Fledged was un derstandibly not carrying a great deal of condition. This time next year I expect you'll see a different model.

A little light on pedigree but if you are looking for a good looking, sweet moving racehorse with a great temprament, Fully Fledged warrants consideration in todays stallion market.

Chinese Dragon and Goodwood Park were next. A more typical built sprinting type than the Fairdale pair, quite low slung with good strength in front of the saddle and a wide masculine head, the deep bay was not as tall as I had expected from the photos I had seen.

I like to play a little game when I see stallions and work out what ancestors they've thrown too. Chinese Dragon seemed to have picked up charcateristics of a number of his forbears significantly the Mill Reef head and the Stravinsky jowl.

At Newmarket Lodge we saw Columbia, Danger Looms and resident stallion Gold Circle. Despite his advancing years its not hard to see why Columbia was a one million plus yearling and Danger Looms is a strongly made short coupled type.

As a full brother to Elvstroem and half to Haradasun, Gold Circle has a fair bit going for him, however he's also an attractive looking horse, only medium sized at best but in proprtion with a good over reach and strong quarters.

Lucky enough to see "Elvis" when he was racing in Melbourne their are definite similarities between the two brothers in physical makeup, particularly behind the saddle.

Viewing a collection of Gold Centre's weanlings in their boxes he certainly stamps them with strong quarters and they are a bit longer in the body than dad.

Talking to a breeder on the day there are a few Gold Centre's going well in their early prepartions and it would not be a surprise to see a few out early. Apparently Laurie Christansen has a speedy type he is quite taken with.

The crowd had swelled to about 150 by the time the parade reached Wellfield, no doubt eager to see the public debut of Alamosa as a stallion.

Firstly we saw Hansome Ransom who was a tad shorter than I had imagined from photo's. Blessed with a strong middle you could see the engine room that contributed to his early speed on the racetrack.

I had last seen Alamosa live at Ellerslie in his two-year-old season and the charcateristics ( character being the operative word) that struck me then came flooding back; the lovely intelligent O'Reilly head and an air of confidence or more explicity, charcater.

Alamosa won't ever be a bulky stallion and I thought there was a lot more Centaine coming through on physical type than O'Reilly.

Most of the crowd stayed around to see the LA stallions that had come up from Masterton.

The regally bred Zed who was first away, has let down significantly since starting stud duties in 2007. LA studmaster Sam Williams was on the money when he described him as a mesh of Zabeel and Danehill. He reminds me of a smaller version of his father Zabeel with some of the more refined Danehill charcteristics including markings, merged in.

With my work for LA I have seen a great deal of Towkay over the last two years but I haven't seen him looking any better than he was on Sunday. He's a well balanced and bodied individual who captures all the best attributes of the very successful Last Tycoon sireline.

Judging by John Cleese's frame, he doesn't eat a lot of pies but he would have been contemplating eating one of the humble variety should he have been on Sunday's annual event in an area much maligned by the British comedian. Conducted in glorious winter weather, the crowd were an enthusiastic and appreciative bunch. Talking to a few studmasters and nominations staff at the end of the day there was a good level of enquiry.

My only brickbat for the day was the absence of food to go with the refreshments at Wellfield. It had been a long day and some snacks would have facilitated more activity and ultimately business for the studs, instead of people having to rush off to the cheesecake shop in Woodville..

Thanks to the Manawatu branch and Hugh Taylor for putting on the event.

Saturday 27 June

True winter racing at Avondale tomorrow.

Where are you Oranmore?

The dogs are barking Sorbello in the last.

It's never an easy assignment for a 3 yr old filly against the older horses and in the mud so follow your money.

I was impressed with Harvest the Gold's hurdles win over QB weekend and took note of his pace on the flat scampering awy from the likes of Bennyosler between jumps. The better track at HB should enable him to use this pace to his advantage.

Miss Sivavatu has good form over distance in Ireland and should appreciate the step to 2000m at HB. I liked the way she kept making ground last start over 1600m.

2009 Kelt Nominations

Well it's less than 90 sleeps to the Kelt, time for Thad and his team to contravene the Fair Trading Act with their first odds set for this years contest.

I poke the borax at the odds but no doubt I'll couple a few into a few in the Melbourne Cup. Hey it's more fun than that Big Wednesday robbery and better odds too.

There s a good deal of Gimblett Gravels Syrah to be drunk yet, but this years contest shapes as one of the more even in a while.

A number of questions jump out at you. Will Mufhasa and Shanzero get the tough 2000m? Can Nom Du Jeu and Pasta Post overcome their unsoundness issues? Is Daffodil capable of doing a Legs and Princess Coup? And will the Aussie s travel or are they just there to get the kiwi punter?

Mufhasa tops the ratings and takes early favouritism at 7s. If you like him you are probably best to get on early as he should run well in the first two legs at his pet distances.

I don't begrudge his rating but I don't like the price given his risk at the trip. Already I can hear you saying what risk, he's a Pentire, ran a record in the Couplands Mile etc etc. I'll save my breeding treatise for another day but just add that I always have my doubts about a free running sprinter-miler type getting the tough 2000m at Hastings. Some pretty good milers such as Hello Dolly, Starcraft and Seachange tried and failed.

Nom Du Jeu and Pasta Post are recovering from injury and there must be a query about them standing up to the rigours of a Kelt campaign. I m also a believer than an Xcellent or Princess Coup aside, these sorts of contests are won by so little that litterally everything must fall into place: I thought Nom Du Jeu had all the cards fall his way last year - right age, preparation, track conditions, luck in running - but found 2 better on the day. I rest my case.

Prince Kaapstaad raced well in the first two legs last season but failed in the Kelt and based on his record seems to race best in a fresh state. I also have some doubts with him at 2000m. Sure he ran second in the Derby but three-year-olds can get away with that some year s because so many of their contemporaries don't. No doubt the stable will endeavour to get the mileage into him on the training track this year and go in a bit fresher. They don't loitter in the Kelt and I can see Prince Kaapstaad getting a tougher run near the lead than he had for instance in this seasons Easter.

Gallions Reach's form may have tappered off towards the end of the summer but he had a long spring and summer campaign during which he showed himself to be our leading middle distance handicapper before making the rare successful transition to WFA. I just have my doubts that his WFA form will stack up.

Fritzy Boy is another whose form tailed off this season after an auspicious start winning the Mudgeway. You would think that Alby McGregor has learnt a great deal from last years Kelt campaign and a wet spring would play into his hands. To the naked eye he had shown that the distance held no fears for him with his courgaeous third in the Derby behind Cest La Guere but the same case applies as with Prince Kaapstad. I tend to think Fritzy Boy has a tad too much brillance (excuse the pun) to be a genuine 2000m WFA horse.

Red Ruler is a bit of an enigma horse. At his best he is very good. His win in the Championship Stakes at 3 was close to the best performance I witnessed in NZ that season. I also thought his run for second in the Kelt last year was outstanding, been widder than Princess Coup around the home turn, taking a while to get balanced and not losing ground to her over the last 150m. One facet I've admired with John Sargent is his ability to keep his older horses in form and if he's out thought Red Ruler, this could be his race.

Another from the highly rated three-year-old class of 2007/08 is the slightly forgotten mare Boundless. I thought her run for fourth in last years Kelt had a lot of merit. It was well publicised that she had a light preparation after getting back from Oz late due to the EI protocols. Looking up my Kelt racebook notes from last year I had written " fractious and looks just underdone". Given a long spell after a brief and unsuccessful Oz campaign post the Kelt, the McKee charge has apparently come back a lot stronger. Mares have won five of the last 8 Kelts and at 15's the Van Nistlerooy mare is worth strong consideration.

The well named mare All In Black is indeed something of a dark horse. Her rise through the grades this autumn was dramatic and if she can improve again from 4 to 5 she could join Love Dance as the only winners of both the Kelt and Hawkes Bay Cup. John Wheeler sensibly put her away once the tracks deteriorated and she is in great hands to go one better than her half brother All In Fun who ran 2nd,3rd, 4th and 7th in the Kelt between 1994 and 1998.

Of the other older NZ horses I don't see Vosne Romanee up to WFA at 2000m, likewise Six O Clock News.

Just Call Me Sir aside, the Kelt for a while seemed a race for the older more seasoned horses. That was until the likes of the 4 yr olds Xcellent and the mares Legs and Princess Coup fresh from their NZ Oaks wins at 3, took the spoils.

So what chance the younger brigade continuing the momentum this year? A good chance I feel.

There s the most impressive 2000 Guineas winner Tell A Tale who showed his ability at 2000m with a gutsy second to Mac OReilly in the WFA International at Te Rapa before another game run for 3rd in the Derby as his season finale. Apparently the gelding had a few problems after Christchurch, nothing major I understand, but enough based on his performances to show that he had a strong constitution.

Impressive AJC Oaks winner Daffodil fits the mould of Legs and Princess Coup and is sure to have her admirers. As good as her Oaks win was I have my suspicions about the form out of that race plus and more convincingly, I feel she s best with the sting out of the ground.

Danzero mare Shanzero showed as much potential as any three year old in the country this season and her ability to unleash a powerful closing sprint should suit WFA racing. In the usual Collett fashion the rangy filly was not overtaxed and 1600m was as far as she went. In the same vein as Mufhassa I have some niggling doubts about her abilty to get a solid 2000m. She's from a Marauding mare which reeks speed and although her sire has left group one winners at 200m and further in Niconero and Fairway, they were out of Scenic and Cocky Golfer mares respectively, both staying orientated sires. The only way Danzero's group one females Danglissa and Dani Martine would have got 2000m was in a float.

Mill Duckie reminds me of one of those girls in the school choir with braces who you d see in the library at lunchtime but who you never paid much attention too; that was until you saw her at the school ball and your heart skipped a beat. Be it, wet or dry tracks, slow or well run contests, big imposts, the unfashionably bred big but plain filly just kept putting in. You never know if they are up to WFA until they try but she's so adaptable that the 41 to win is tempting.

I'd wait until first withdrawls later this month before getting too spruked on any of the aussies although you'd think the Freedman stable will have been buoyed in confidence by Dane Julia's performance at Te Aroha: they have a couple entered with the VRC Oaks place getter Miss Scarletti probably the pick of them on exposed form.

Instead of wandering down to the corner bottle shop tomorrow night and partaking in my current tipple, a Misiones De Rengo 2004 Carmenere I'll use the $ to take those multis through Boundless, Red Ruler and Tell a Tale.

Now I just have to sort out Melbourne..

Ruakaka Wednesday 17 June

Green Supreme is worth backing each way at odds in the two-year-old event.

I was quite taken with his debut run then you could forget his last effort in the mud.

The obvious two are Poetic Music with Kenny Rae's Thorn Park filly the danger.

Leica Diva should find a more comfortable lead in the third than she did last start and interestingly Sam jumps on rather than riding the McKee debutant.

The Gaffer has always had some ability but has been dogged by injury. He should almost be at peak fitness for his assignment in the 6th. Jamie Graham has a nice horse for next season in Reposado however he can go close here with a decent track.

More Than Just a Great Trainer

I couldn't let the passing of Vincent O'Brien go by without a comment or three.

Probably the most poignant memory of any racing book I've read would have to be the piece in the 'Horsetrader' by Nick Robinson when one of the syndicate comprising Sangster, Magnier etc asks in the Keeneland bar where Vincent had disappeared too and the answer came back that he had gone back to look at the little Northern Dancer colt (The Ministrel). Further proded by the enquirer - whom must have had one too many Jamisons - if in fact that meant Vincent liked the colt, to which the comment came back "Like him, he bloody loves him".

O'Brien would leave no stone unturned in his search for thoroughbred perfection. A horrible cliche but someone light years ahead of their time.

Remarkedly O'Brien never had a string of more than 50 horses in work and often operated at around the 40 mark. Not for him the large satellite operations we see today. Vincent believed in care and attention and within reason this did not extend to delegation.

His Ballydoyle operation were the first to pad their boxes and lay straight gallops to take unnecssary pressure of a young horses legs.

But above all else O'Brien was a horse psychologist extraodinaire . Someone who got inside his 'flocks' minds and knew his horses better than they knew themselves. Some of the greats he trained such as Nijinsky and Alleged had more quirks than Michael Jackson yet he co erced them to become legends of the turf. I wonder though how he would have felt about trying to domesticate lions and tigers..?

About ten years ago I found myself at a wedding seated next to an elderly chap. Now having gone to a few weddings in my time as a single bloke I was well used to a bit of matchmaking. Looking around this particular wedding at a number of pretty single females, I begun to think pretty critically of my cousin whose wedding it was; that was before I discovered the elderly chap just happened to be Vincent O'Briens brother in law..

For the next three hours I got a wonderful insight into the life of one of the true greats, his love of nature, order and engineering.

Thank you Aunty Jill.

Push Record

Tomorrows Castletown Stakes has become a very good late season guide to three year old form and I don't think this years contest will prove any different.


The two horses with the most potential in this years race are Prince of Wales and Aspinal.


While the likely heavy track will negate a little of their class advantage the Foxton track with it's sandy base usually plays pretty fair and as long as it doesn't get gluey these two should fight it out.


Castletowns are often won off the front when the track is reasonable but horses need to get to the outside when the rains come. Both POW and Aspinal have drawn to get off the fence and judging by the Pin's fillys wayward ways on debut this could prove a blessing.


It's a tough to call but I'll plump for POW. He has a little more street smarts than Aspinal at this stage and down the short Foxton straight there is no time for star gazing.

At the $6.50 quote for Aspinal I'm going to have something as a saver though.

My roughy is Spirit of Unicorn. He'll handle it if it gets deep and he's rock hard fit.

Remember to put a cassette in the VCR.

Another Pre emptive Strike By Waikato

You could never accuse Gary or Mark Chittick of been slow out of the blocks.

In another bold move they have purchased a racing share in the four-year-old Rios.

The Chitticks have more form than Graham Burton when it comes to securing bloodstock on the rise and one imagine's they will have negotiated a buyer friendly provision to convert their shareholding into stallion shares and standing rights if the son of Hussonet fires in Melbourne this spring.

It's still an interesting move when you sit down and analyse it and given their track record you'd be a brave person to question it.

As far as genes go it's a no brainer. He offers wonderful outcross blood being totally free of Northern Dancer on his top line and through the hugely successful Last Tycoon as his dam sire he offers breeders access to the prized Mill Reef blood.

And as a son of Gussy Godiva - currently the hottest of favourites for the NZ Broodmare of the Year title - he's part of the pre eminent Sneetch/Sellou family that's been throwing up any amount of high class runners throughout Australasia and North America (Black Mamba) of late

In my opinion he's a hand short of been the ideal height for a sire but Hyperion and Northern Dancer were smaller and they weren't bad.

Interestingly in recent times Waikato have shown a trend for standing sires not considered big by modern standards. I'm thinking Savabeel, Fast N Famous and Scardee Cat.

Waikato have any amount of well bred mares by a cross section of stallions so finding compatability in terms of blood and physical makeup won't be difficult although it will be interesting to see if the double up of Last Tycoon through O'Reilly mares is pursued.

As a specimen he has the looks of an equine Hugh Jackman and I'm told by those close to the stable, the manners of Phillip Sherry. Blessed with a gorgeous head - a trait of the Sellou/Sneetch clan according to Sam Williams - if the expression black cats leave black kittens stands true he should sire some outstanding types.

Finally I come to his race record. Is it good enough ? It probably isn't as far as warranting an immediate spot in the Waikato line-up is concerned but it's better than it looks on paper.

Excuse the pun but last season he was a classic case of a horse getting extended in distance to chase the Classics and this season he didn't have much of a break from his Sydney autumn campaign before racing through the tough Hawkes Bay series culminating in the 2000m of the Kelt.

His best form has clearly been at 1400m to a mile and within that range he was able to beat the high class Alamosa in the Wellington Guineas and then run a close third with him second in the NZ 2000 Guineas.

A calculated gamble by the Chitticks or a bold move? Defintely the later with very little downside I'm guessing and a huge amount of upside.

Something tells me those Chitticks would play a pretty good hand of poker.

Affection is not part of the Equation

I had another look at her when I arrived on the salesground, actually I pulled her out twice. Yep I was falling for her bigtime. A bit lacking in the gaskins but Towkay would smarten that up an experienced studmaster and friend explained to me. She had a such a kind eye and a lovely strong yet feminine head. It was like a highschool romance.

I didn't anticipate been so nervous. I only bid to $6,500 but it was $1,500 over budget. Alas I was the underbidder. She was bought for an Asian client I discovered afterwards- their pockets are a bit deeper than ours.

A friend said later I should have bid with my heart. I'm happy enough. As someone said to me once, horses are like trains, another one is always coming round the corner. I just hope I feel the same way I felt about lot 506.

The Breeding Bug

Well, I've spent a really interesting couple of days following bloodstock agent Michael Wallace as he goes about his profession at the National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Sale.

You can read about my experience in next months NZ Thoroughbred.

And yes I did fall for a mare whom I m going to bid for on Wednesday. I've managed to persuade a couple of mates to come in with me and if we pick her up within budget she'll more than likely visit Towkay in the spring.

You wouldn't be able to buy a top of the range mountain bike with our budget but it's still ruddy exciting as the hours tick before she goes through the ring.

Masterton RC at Woodville

I haven't got an eye on the weather down the Island but there's a few who go round at Woodville that I thought had next up about them at the Bay meeting a fortnight ago.

Master Nagol, Katipo, Finale and Lago Rider.

The Sun May Have Gone Down But Not The Memories

The other night I stumbled across a piece about the great golfer Jack Nicklaus watching the 1973 Belmont Stakes. Jack had invited some friends around to his home to watch Secretariat's attempt to secure the triple crown. What transpired was probably the most complete performance by a racehorse, ever, anywhere.

Anyway, as the article went on, as the chestnut locomotive galloped towards the finishing line Jack dropped to his feet and started banging the floor, crying profusly while his startled guests looked on.

Asked years later by a sports commentator about this most un Nicklaus like behaviour, the 'Golden Bear' remarked "I don't know why I did that" to which the interviewer replyed "youve spent your entire life searching for perfection, and you finally saw it." Jack nodded.

Sunline's passing yesterday bought back memories of my Nicklaus like moment - in typical kiwi male style still my only one - on a public racecourse for petes sack, sober, in front of thousands.

It was the 1999 Cox Plate and the Valley was packed especially where we were on the lawn near the finish line.

It was a pretty handy cast that year. Tie the Knot, Intergaze,Sky Heights, Redoutes Choice and Testa Rosa amongst them. They could get along.

I started yelling when Sunline put the pressure on at about the 800m mark. By the time she had the field shot to pieces half way down the home straight, there were tears streaming down my face. I can still see remember my friends looking at me like what have you taken!

It may not have been quite the 73 Belmont Stakes -I was only 6 then and anyway Mohammed Ali held more of a fascination - but it was and still is my cataclystic moment following the racehorse.

You broke me down just like you did your oposition. Thanks for the wonderful memories girl. RIP

Weekend Racing

Nice place money for Pinzee.

On Saturday I only like Dezigna in the Rotorua Cup, especially with the weather looking dodgy.

He meets All In Black 2.5kgs better off at the weights, handles wet tracks (one of the few Volksraads that do) and I liked the way he hit the line at Hastings.

I'll be having something on Larry's Never Late in the SA Derby. Bit of sentiment, bred by a friend but has always looked like he'd be better in the autumn and he stays like the mother in law.

There are a couple of outstanding bets at Woodville on Sunday - if the weather holds.

Te Rapa Wednesday 29 April

Pinzee should win the third.

Has the gate speed to cross.

Last time given no peace in front but fought on for fourth behind a couple of nice horses.

Although unproven on wet ground she has a pedigree that suggests she may be ok. Her mum won a Marlborough Cup on a slow track.

No Teflon Don

I've watched the emergence of Don Eduardo and Thorn Park as sires with interest over the last couple of months.

In the Don's case the good looker has been making headlines since the day he was born.

You see Don is the product of racing royalty. In human terms he'd be compared to the offspring of Michael Phelps and Elle McPherson.

Befitting his parentage, Don is built magnificently. He fills the eye like Madileine Stowe or George Clooney and if mares bat for the other side ( I don't know the answer to that, can anyone enlighten me?) they would conceivably turn for him.

Such was Don's lineage and looks that he became, when sold through the Karaka ring in 2000 - what a piece of theatre his sale was except if you were an Optus shareholder - the highest priced yearling sold at auction in Australasia at 3.6million NZ; a record that still stands.

And the buzz didn't stop for a while because remarkably the big fella could run. He seemed to take an eternity to wind up in his races - think his running down of Carneige Express to win the 2002 AJC Derby - but he had courage, in bucket loads.

I'd be the first to admit that when he retired to stud in 2004 I thought the Don train might finally have run out of steam. Sure he had the genes and the looks but in racing speak he was a bit of a grinder. The first thing that probably ran through a lot of breeders minds was are his progeny going to take 2000m just to warm up?

Well Don Eduardo's stallion career has been a little bit like his racing style, slow to start but building momentum that's hard to stop..

With his oldest crop four-year-olds, the son of Zabeel has been represented by six stakes performers - all four year-olds - since New Years day including three Group winners.

And no there was'nt a Von Dousa winner amongst them, but they are proving versatile. He has a Group One sprint performer in Dashing Donna, a smart three-year-old sprinter in Australia in Swift Alliance while at the other end of the scale you have the likes of Divine Rebel and Vickezzchardonnay proving themselves as true staying types.

A lot of successful stallions stamp their best progeny and the Don does just that.

Dashing Donna and All In Black are medium size with athleticism while the males tend to be real peas to a pod -bigger with tremendous girths.

Another characteristic, on the pedigree page, is the propensity for speed to show up on the dam side of his stock's better performers. Sensibly breeders seem to have focused on balancing the Don's staying prowress with speed as a number of these dams have won at between 1200m and 1400m.

Even the best mating plans come unstuck if connections fail to display the patience that the breed require but in Don's case the virtue doesn't look to have been ignored as his stock have really come into their own as autumn four-year-olds.

He is no heir apparent to the throne of his illustrious father and will probably never match the deeds of a Pentire, but in Don Eduardo breeders look to have another unearthed another quality staying option in a current breeding environment hardly endowed with variety in that aisle.

Dropping off the radar for a season or two while his stock matured, the Don is once again a name on thoroughbred followers lips. Thankfully we've been saved the stories of Mark Spitz's full brother and Snaffi Dancer.

Hawkes Bay

Another late season gem of a meeting to get too.

Volgus took the 2 year-old race in a workman like fashion. He's certainly developed since I remember him as a yearling. He's already looking for 1600m and could eventually get 2000m plus. Doesn't appeal as a early season Classic type. Gordon Roberts is the one to watch out of this race. Did a few things wrong but a nice type with scope. Monaco Consul looked to me like he needed a softer track.

Dawson Falls is putting together a nice record for talented horseman Paul Belsham. One of the few to make ground from the back all day. Seemed to peak 75 out but lifted again. A strongly made individual who looks like he'll carry weight, he'll win a few more.

I like these intermediate staying races and if our clubs continue to support them with good prizemoney then connections are encouraged to race stayers. At a time when our friends across the ditch are lamenting the decline in their staying races and staying talent (funny they go hand in hand), we need to continue to steal the march. The first two home will be interesting to watch next season. Bakup, from a daughter of that grand stayer Daria's Fun, made it a staying test and scored a tough win against the older horses. He d been held against his own age group in the Manawatu Classic but that could have been an abirition. Booming ground home like a 2 miler. From a Grosvenor mare I feel the best is still to be seen of this big boy. He's my horse to follow. Don't give up on Solid Billing, it supprised me they backed him up so quickly. He was ridden off the speed for a change too. He's one to keep an eye on next year down in the weights in a nice handicap.

La Etolie was the most impressive winner on the card. Boy aren't the sock of Thorn Park having a great trot. A big strong girl, they don't break 1.35 often at the Bay and she did it with a bit in hand. Don Julio, another big Don Eduardo horse just starting to develop, was game and can go on.

Onto the Cup, I worked out my first HB Cup was Secret Seals back in 87. Some of these had been up a while and it showed in the yard with few standouts - Spec Icon and All in Black were the pick. AIB has to take the credit despite the lightweight and easy trip. They simply don't come this far this quick without a lot of talent. She has a turn of foot though and could yet measure up in some of those summer and autumn 2000m WFA races next term. Stand Tall's run was enormous. He's a bit of enigma and at 7 going on 8 you can't get too carried away but he's just the type that could bob into your Kelt trifecta for third. John Wheeler has done a great job with him and I bet he d love to be taking him to Oakbank next Easter but one suspects the owners may have slighty different sights. Vosnee Romanee ran his usual honest race but has turned into a bit of a gunna for mine. To be fair he probably doesn't get 2200 and his best chance of a nice race is 1600 on the fresh side.

There are some good rating 90 gallopers up north at the moment and Vonusti franked this. Never easy to back up within a week and with a trip over the Kaweka's to boot but he won the last very easily. Hakuna Matata was game and the key to him seems to be a firm track but the winner was in a different league.

Didn't see much on intertrack apart from Takeover Targets win which sent a tingle up the spine. I saw him in Sydney last autumn and thought he was on the downward slide. Like the Pumper has shown us in recent months, champions never lie down.

I have seen the R90 race from Tauranga on replay. Follow anything out of this race as it will be a very strong form race into next season. The winner is pretty special and don't be suprised if they go to the well again this season to try and get his rating up for HB in the spring. Our Canavaro and Attackum will be worth watching next season.

Just An Excuse

No I haven't started talking about my love of the harness horse. Another night perhaps.

But I was taken back by the bumbling comments in the Aussie media since Saturday, handing out excuses for a number of the beaten runners in the AJC Derby. Jockey s and trainers were wading in, I won't bore you with the details.

All I say to you is get a DVD of the race, put it in your machine and push play. The winner did more work in the first half mile than most of the rest of the field put together did in the entire race. He then hit the lead before the rise in the straight, defied them all the way up the rise and apart from Predatory Pricer was pulling away at the line.

Carpe Diem. Jimmy Cassidy used his iniative and that is a sight for sore eyes. Actually there is a harness analogy here. I used to nearly always enjoy backing pacers driven by Neil Brady because he put his horses into the races, ok sometimes it was a bit rough but as a punter I was satisfied whatever the result (most of the time) because I d had a run for my money. Which is a lot more than I got out of this years Auckland galloping Cup.

I dropped into Ellerslie on my way back on Monday. I can't remember much of my drive back from the Coromandel, I was still getting over the $4.40 offered on Attackum when the TAB opened the markets shortly after 8am.

He was probably even more impressive than at Te Aroha. I watched the race from the top of the Public and he lost his footing momentarily at about the 150m but such was his momentum he picked himself up and to the naked eye you wouldn't have noticed it. Eased down noticably over the last 50m he still broke 35 on an off track. He 's the horse Pins needed to kickstart things after a slowish 12 months. I d thought Run Like the Wind was potentially the best Pins male I'd seen El Segundo excluded, but this fellow has a more lethal sprint. Potentially the most exciting horse I've seen in NZ this season.

At Te Aroha tomorrow there s a filly Alapia (another Pins) who can win the third. Has been entered and scratched a couple of times lately. She 's a filly I ve followed since I saw her realise a lot of money at Karaka a couple of years ago. She s built into form nicely and Casey whom beat her last start then came out and ran 2nd in a very strong form race on Breeders Day at TA.

No I have no fiduciary interest in Pins or any other asset of Waikato Stud.

Easter Saturday

Popped out to Ellerslie.

Put a few in the blackbook.

Walkonby's a promising sprinter and should become Strategic Image's second stakeswinner next season. He was game behind the tough Geeza after been posted 3 wide throughout. A nice physical type who throws to the good ones from the family such as Kosha and Crooked Stick.

Haya Riva can win at short notice. I had a few $ e/w at 70's and if he d got any run he should have been in the money. A big relaxed type who is just coming to it and should win a couple next season.

Horses don't get made any better than Align to Infinity. He's probably a miler rather than a 2000m horse. Connections will have some fun with him next year. In the same race Cape Le Paul was still a bit fat and can win midweek.

Showcause was a nice win against the older horses and was one of the few to make ground down the outside all afternoon. He's only a pony but apparently Frank Ritchie has a fair bit of time for him. An slightly extravagent high action he'll probably handle off tracks. A friend at the races mentioned the dam that very good mare Showella had died recently.

On the intertrack I thought Guthrum who won the second at Riverton will win again shortly and Hell Yeah's finishing burst at Trentham was indicative of her talent.

The 2 year-old at Wellington didn't beat much I thought.

At Caulfield, First Command looks a sprinter we'll see this spring in some nice races. Sectionals at the provincials had been out of top drawer and Lee Freedman has a smart one here by the under rated Commands. And the way Bellabachi stuck on in the 3 year old stayers race suggests the VRC St Leger distance will be right up her alley in a fortnight.

I can't go without dipping my hat to Bart Cummings. Genius is an oversubscribed word these days but the title struggles to do him justice. And what can you say about Jimmy Cassidy. He's had more ups and downs than the Fijian political system but he keeps getting up. Good on ya pumper, you and Bart are great for the game.

And the Bakers I thought didn't loose much in comparison. Harris Tweed should be twice the horse next season after 2 months in the paddock.

And what a season that Sneetch/Sellou family has had. Black Mamba in the States, Can't Keeper Down runs second in the Oaks and now Roman Emperor.

The fields for Ellerslie tomorrow are okay. I see Attackum is in. Apparently you d need a crowbar to get Jame's McDonald off him. Could be a litmus test tomorrow, few showers around here today and backing up quickly.

Where Have The Stayers Gone

Looking at the AJC Derby field last night I thought where have we come to get such a weak field for today. I'm probably getting a tad carried away to call it that way; I guess I unfairly compare all AJC Derby fields with the 1996 edition. A bit like comparing your wife with your uni girlfriend.

The Sadlers Wells bred has been much maligned in these parts; not enough bone and don't get enough cut in the tracks to be competitive down under the experts have claimed.

Scenic has done a lot in recent seasons to get a foothold for SW but one swallow hardly makes a summer.

He's got a bit of support lately from Montjeu who has 5 in todays Derby.

Harris Tweed is the most fancied of these but it's the Cummings trained Roman Emperor whom I fancy to give Montjeu consecutive AJC Derbies.

I loved his second up run this campaign, then he was no chance on a wet track when back and they walked. Last start in the Rosehill Guineas he travelled more kindly than usual, went up to them on the point of the turn full of running and only tired late to finish 2.3 from Metal Bender. That was his stepping up from 1600m to 2000m and you fancy the Cummings polish will have been put on him for today.

For the multiples I like Metal Bender, Sousa, Rock Kingdom and Old Jock.

Sousa gets on the pace, bowls along and has courage. I have a doubt about him getting back on a decent track

Rock Kingdom who has been let go a little in the market should have won the Rosehill Guineas and is a versatile animal who has a tad more class than than the rest of these Metal Bender excepted.

I was taken with Old Jock when I saw him run 2nd to Shanzero at Ellerslie last month. He didn't get a lot of favours that day but showed me some toughness that will hold him in good stead the further they go.

Big Col has a Derby pedigree - by the sire of Rebel Raider from a half to Oaks winner Richfield Lady.

Harris Tweed did well to win last week but I m not convinced that Tulloch form measures up. He's been a bit light too when I ve seen him and he s had a lot of racing of late. Maybe that fitness will stand him in great stead. One thing it will seal for me if he wins, the Bakers reputation as master conditioners.

Under The Mountain

Te Aroha and Makaraka would be my favourite courses in the North Island to watch the ponies.

Breeders day at TA is a meeting I try and get down for. I think the first Breeders I witnessed was taken out by My Good Omen.

Didn't think this years edition was overly strong. It looked Shanzero's race but you were always guessing how the Melbourne form of Dane Julia would line up. The old punting adage reared itself once again, if in doubt, follow the money and apparently the TAB took a bit. She paraded magnificently, her coat wa spectacular, not a big mare but very well balanced and feminine.

But the lasting impression as I left the course for the drive back to Auckland was not of Dane Julia or the impressive 2 year old winner Donthassleme - usually a good form race that - but the performance of the Otto's Attackum. Arrogant in the parade ring, he took it onto the track and won easily. Longer in the body than a lot of the Pins but with strength to match he s a little extravagent in his action but time will sort that. I get the feeling he s top class, possibly WFA material.

The only bugger was I didn't back him after intending too in the morning. I met a local who is often in the know and he was shouting Salvatore like Taito Field in the acussed's box. Salvatore' s a lovely actioned galloper who didn't get much room until late but was never going to beat the winner. I hope for his connections that he fulfills his promise unlike his 3/4 brother Far Too Much. Salvatore hung a little on Saturday and maybe he wants to go left handed at this stage.

Great meeting to go to if your'e thinking racing is struggling a tad.