KEY POINTS:
Spare a consolatory nod in John Sargent's direction if Heza Karma Karzi misses the cut for New Zealand's 3-year-old Holy Grail on Saturday.
For two weekends, rain has cost the Matamata trainer's natural-born stayer a chance to seal his place in the Derby.
With Puttanesca's new owner paying the $66,000 late entry, Sargent's group three placegetter was yesterday relegated to first ballot - just $2538 shy of the stakemoney needed to make the 18-horse field.
All a philosophical Sargent can do now is pray for at least one defection before the final Derby line-up is announced tomorrow.
He's confident he has the Choisir colt, who was due to gallop at Ellerslie this morning, as fit as he can get him, despite rain washing away a last-ditch qualifying run on his home track on Saturday.
"I'm not worried about missing Matamata - he'll get the trip," said Sargent, who also brings Australian-bound Red Ruler to Ellerslie today.
"We've kept him right up to the mark and I couldn't be happier."
Kembla Grange trainer Bede Murray also reports that his Aussie raider, Coniston Bluebird, has thrived since his gutsy third in the Telecom Championship Stakes on February 14.
Murray, who has left the horse at the Pukekohe stable of Garry Newham and Gareth McRae, returns to New Zealand tomorrow confident Coniston Bluebird is the one to beat on Saturday.
"He's much better for having had the run over there physically and for having had a look at the Ellerslie track," said Murray yesterday from his New South Wales base. "I'm looking forward to the weekend."
The Championship Stakes was also Scott Seamer's first ride on Coniston Bluebird and Murray felt he had learned a lot from the experience.
"If Scott had known him a bit better he may have got him on the bridle a bit sooner than he did," said Murray. "But he was delighted with the run."
