Aaron Taylor-Blancpain show at Ruakaka

THE Aaron Taylor - Blancpain road show will hit the other end of New Zealand this weekend when making an appearance at Ruakaka tomorrow.
Taylor, a former jockey and Riccarton trainer, has trekked to the deep south with Blancpain this year, having run her in the Carrier's Arms Hotel Riverton Cup at Riverton on April 23, and now, three starts later, the Whangarei Racing Club headquarters is the venue.
"I haven't even been to Ruakaka before," Taylor said.
"The only place up that way that I've been is Dargaville."
Since having no luck in the Riverton Cup, Blancpain made a stopover at her home to tackle the 2500m Great Autumn Handicap, which resulted in a 3-length win.
It was then on the road again for Taylor and Blancpain with Ellerslie being the target and a tilt at the Cornwall Handicap.
That first taste of racing at Ellerslie for Blancpain wasn't a memorable one as she beat just one home under the steadier of 58.5kg.
"She's only a little mare and in that very testing ground it was too much for her ... It didn't help that Sam [Spratt] dropped her whip, too.
"People say she is a true mudlark, but she doesn't like the real testing tracks. She didn't like the ground down at Riverton, either," Taylor said.
Blancpain and Taylor have been based with Tim and Margaret Carter at Cambridge since coming north last month and the original plan was to have a second bid on last Saturday's Amcor Kiwifruit Cup at Tauranga. Blancpain, on her first trip north, was fourth to Montjee in the event last year, but was withdrawn this time.
"She got an abscess in her foot and it didn't blow out until last Friday. It was just too late to run her. That's why I've put her in at Ruakaka," the trainer said.
The biggest concern Taylor has over the Ruakaka assignment is the 59kg Blancpain is expected to carry.
"As I said, she's a small mare and it's hard for her to carry big weights. But she really needs to have this race to keep her fit."
Depending on what happens this time, Blancpain could have two starts at Ruakaka. Another option is a Rating 94 2000m at New Plymouth on July 23, before the main mission, the $80,000 Hibiscus Painters Taumarunui Gold Cup (2100m) at Te Rapa a week later.
As a jockey in the South Island, Taylor rode 60 winners and his association with the talented mare Mary Josephine (White Robe Lodge Stakes) led to a couple of important rides on her in the north. He was fifth on her in the Waikato Times Gold Cup and also rode her in the Auckland Cup.
Even if Blancpain, a winner of eight races, doesn't succeed tomorrow she could still reach a milestone provided she can run either second or third.
A third placing will see her top $100,000 in prizemoney.
Closest to Blancpain on the handicap this weekend is Electronic Socks, a past winner at Ruakaka who should be improved by her first-up run at Ellerslie.
Local trainers Donna and Dean Logan will be represented by last-start winner Jungle Juice, who has been successful in three of her last six starts.
Adding to the appeal of Jungle Juice is the fact she will be ridden by champion jockey James McDonald, who surged past 200 wins for the season with four victories at Te Teko last Wednesday.
Albaladejo is stepping up in company, but has won his last two starts and warrants some respect, as does Dancing Chief, who struggled in the testing ground when fifth in the Cornwall Handicap.
Annie and Flavour Flav add to the interest in the race.