Heavy tracks leaves trainers struggling for suitable spring start points
The stranglehold New Zealand’s biggest stable has over our two richest races today is set to be halved.
Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson had the favourites in the black type 3-year-old races at Hastings and Riccarton today with System Of Play top elect in the Sir Colin Meads Trophy and Sweetest Thing odds-on in the Canterbury Belle Stakes at Riccarton.
However, rain in both regions left the champion trainers doubting heavy tracks were the ideal starting point for the 3-year-olds’ campaigns and they eventually decided to split the difference.
“It has been really challenging,” Bergerson admitted to the Herald.
“We want to get these good 3-year-olds racing to have them fit enough for the Guineas races but the heavy tracks don’t make it easy.
“We have found in the past sometimes starting horses fresh up on a heavy surface can ruin their whole spring campaign.
“So unless something changes dramatically we will scratch System Of Play and Born To Be Royal from Hastings but at this stage we are starting the two in the Canterbury Belle Stakes at Riccarton.”
System Of Play was the $2.50 favourite for the Sir Colin Meads Trophy and his withdrawal will bring Justin Case and Phillyjean to the top of the market on a day where punters would be smart to watch how the track plays in the first few races before diving into the features.
Sweetest Thing is a newcomer to the Walker/Bergerson team which they initially had concerns over handling wet tracks until she galloped well on a heavy surface earlier this week.
“We think she can get away with it and she needs to get racing to be ready for a race like the NZ 1000 Guineas so we are hoping she will be fine on it on Saturday.”
Her stablemate Sword Of Stars will also start in the Canterbury Belle and has trialled well on a heavy surface.
Riccarton was rated a Heavy 10 yesterday but with drying weather and the racing pattern there should also be a case of “watch and learn” as the rail goes back in three metres, which theoretically should provide better footing on the inside.
The inside and middle of the track took a pounding two weeks ago, so whether wide draws become more advantageous as the day evolves could decide some of the bigger races.
Australian marker
Fans of New Zealand’s unbeaten superstar Well Written will get another chance today to assess just what she will be up against when she crosses the Tasman next month.
Well Written, crowned New Zealand Horse of the Year last Sunday, is being aimed at the A$1.5 million ($1.85m) Epsom Handicap at Randwick on October 3 with her major spring aim the A$10m ($12.3m) Golden Eagle back at Randwick on October 31.
Favourite for the Golden Eagle is Victorian mare Sheza Alibi, who was dazzling at the back end of her 3-year-old season and lost few admirers with a first-up second to Autumn Glow three weeks ago.
Sheza Alibi is incredibly a $1.75 favourite for today’s A$750,000 ($923,000) Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington in which she takes on Mr Brightside, who has won the last three running of this race, and outstanding weight-for-age galloper Sir Delius.
How Sheza Alibi performs against them in the Group 1 today will give the Well Written camp and the Kiwi mare’s army of fans an idea of just how daunting a challenge she may face in Sydney at the end of next month.
Sheza Alibi is rated the $1.80 favourite for the Golden Eagle while Well Written is an $11 chance, a tempting dividend for a mare whose average winning tote price in her last five starts, all black type races, has been $1.30.
Also racing at Flemington is last season’s champion NZ juvenile Lara Antipova (R2, No 2) who is rated a $7 chance in a race named in honour of late champion Kiwi trainer Mike Moroney.
Auckland wins conference
One of the world’s biggest horse racing conferences is coming to Auckland.
The city will host the Asian Racing Conference in March 2028, timed to coincide with Champions Day at Ellerslie.
The conference is predicted to attract 600-800 racing delegates from around the world.
The strongest representation from outside New Zealand is coming from some of our thoroughbred industry’s biggest trading partners, including Australia and the powerful Hong Kong Jockey Club.
New Zealand last hosted the conference in 2003 and New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing will be in charge of the gathering at the SkyCity International Convention Centre.
NZTR chief executive Matt Ballesty said securing the conference was significant, with the event set to place the country’s thoroughbred industry on an international stage.
“Hosting ARC 2028 is a major opportunity to showcase the strength of New Zealand thoroughbred racing and breeding, and to deepen relationships with key racing jurisdictions across Asia and beyond.
“We are grateful to the Asian Racing Federation for the opportunity to bring this important event to New Zealand,” Ballesty said.
Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.