Fireside Favourites

What with the weather and falling stakemoney our racing scene at the moment looks about as bleak as a Shane Jones credit card statement so it's a good time to sit back and remind ones self that we have plenty of promising horses taking a break before the spring. Here are ten that caught my eye; no real criteria just horses that I feel can go onto a better rating next season - without focusing on some of the more obvious suspects.

Single Currency: It's been a while between drinks for trainer Chris Wood but this Bachelor Duke three-year-old looks the type to get the Cambridge conditioner back in the spotlight. Following facile wins at Taupo -on debut - and Hastings, the gelding stepped up to stakes company in a very strong edition of the Arnie Sarten Memorial on Labour Day. Outside the winner Katie Lee I thought Single Currency's effort was the next best in the race; posted three-wide throughout on a good pace and only fading late to be beaten 4.5 lengths into ninth position. It would have been interesting to see where the three start veteran ended up rated amongst the three-year-olds had he stayed in work post Te Rapa.

Lion Tamer: Early season two-year-old form can often be dubious however this seasons early maturing juveniles were a high class bunch as evidenced by their form right through the season and Lion Tamer - winner on debut of the Listed Murdoch Newel in October - although failing in the Manawatu Sires, signed off his season in style with another storming finish to take the Champagne Stakes at Ellerslie in April. Somewhat of a pity the long striding colt wasn't then taken to Sydney for their Champagne Stakes, as the 1600m journey on spacious Randwick and against a less than vintage field would have given the Murray Baker colt every opportunity. The Storming Home colts physical make-up and style of racing suggests he'll only get better at three. A most exciting prospect.

MacCavity: Our two-year-olds rarely match their Australian counterparts for size and strength so imagine my surprise when I found two juveniles who would have stood out in a Golden Slipper lineup making their debuts in a two-year-old maiden at Ellerslie in late March. One of the afore mentioned duo turned out to be the eventual winner The Diamond Duke who post race was singled out for very high praise by his trainer Sean Ritchie, all of which makes the narrowly beaten runner-up and second part of the handsome pair, MacCavity, clearly an interesting prospect for next season. By reputation Roger James rarely has his horses ready to win first-up and judging by MacCavity's appearance in the Ellerslie parade ring he hadn't over taxed the Keeper filly in the build-up to her debut. It's difficult to get a line from one start on what distance MacCavity will excel at and although a half sister to the Australian group-one winning filly Velocitea (by Volksraad) and built like a sprinter, the filly may relish the 1600m of the 1000 Guineas.

Mr Charlie: The Dunstan Stayers Final has been quite some revelation as a form race since it's inception and the narrowest of runner-ups in this years contest Mr Charlie looks set to continue the trend judging by the comprehensive nature of his win just two starts later in the NZ St Leger; although down in quality on recent renewals the Golan gelding won with such ridiculous ease and in one of the quicker times in recent history to suggest he can take the step to major cup handicaps next season.

Blonde Bombshell: thoroughly genuine filly who showed her speed and class when stepping up to stakes company and setting a hectic pace in the Group Two Eight Carat Classic yet still boxing on for third to Katie Lee and Adaline. Although by a noted sire of sprinter-milers, with a bit more maturity and strengthening of her lengthy barrel she's more than capable of running 2000m in group company.

Cellarmaster: should be recognised as the nations leading two-year-old when the awards get handed out in August and deservedly so. A busy customer lining-up on nine occasions between September and finishing with a second placing in the Manawatu Sires in April, the Dubawi colt performed consistently well against the best juveniles on right and left handed tracks and on firm and soft surfaces. While he looked more of a natural two-year-old than most of his contemporaries his sires stock are training on in the NH and close relatives on the female side of his family get better with age notably Second Coming and Our Bahare so he should have scope for further improvement. His natural speed and ability to race on the pace make him an ideal candidate for the early guineas races.

Dullingham: Good horses invariably move like Alberto Junatorena and it was the stride and economy of movement that first attracted me to the son of Pins in a maiden 1600m on the middle day of the Auckland Xmas Carnival; despite finishing down the track in that contest behind the winner Green Supreme, there was sufficient merit in way the four-year-old stretched out between spates of greenness to suggest he wouldnt last long in that class. He next walloped an average maiden field at Hastings by seven lengths before venturing to Wairoa to score an easier than it looked success over the handy Hawkes Bay Cat and Cat Woman. Not seen since, look for the Jim Collett trained gelding to go quickly through to open class if he's not sold to Hong Kong in the meantime.

So Pristine: Slow maturing Zabeel mare who looks set to capitalise from typically patient handling by trainer Richard Collett. Inclined to over race when tried over ground this season and quite claustrophobic when racing in a field the mare has therefore done well to already record three wins especially bred the way she is. With more maturity look for the mare to come into her own next season at five and ultimately get 2000m and further.

Gaston: Strongly made son of Charge Forward who first came to notice when, despite an average beginning - something to which we would become accustomed - he comprehensively won his NZ debut over 1100m, beating the well regarded pair of Thundermore and Rampant in the process. Put aside after failing at his next start in the Guineas at Wanganui on a wet track the gelding returned in late summer for two starts - running third then second at Te Rapa, both in very strong company over 1200m. Possessing a big finishing kick it's likely Gaston will be even better suited by further next season.

Leica Scotch: The subject of quite a bit of spruking by his stable for the 2009 NZ Derby before going badly amiss, the Zabeel gelding resumed this season after a years convalescence and showed enough potential over distances ultimately shorter than his optimum to inspire potential as a cups contender next season.

Others to narrowly miss the cut were Our Ella Belle, Eileen Dubh, On The Level, Ishka Baha, Mr Spock and Veronica Franco.