Owners keep faith in Chrysolite

Wairarapa-trained horses are conspicuous by their absence tomorrow, with the locally owned Chrysolite being the closest link the district has to the action at New Plymouth.

Chrysolite, owned by Ray and Geri Southey of Masterton, is trained at Awapuni by Mark Oulaghan and is lining up in the Wahid 2000, a Rating 85 race over 2000m carrying the handy stake of $30,000.

Although the 4-year-old mare is likely to be one of the more favoured runners, she is far from a home run as she has drawn a particularly challenging field but has shown enough to earn the support of punters.

A winner at Tauherenikau late last year, Chrysolite went on to win at Ellerslie on New Year's Day and was back there at the end of last month attempting a repeat performance.

Although she finished third and secured $2800 for her connections she was more than a tad unlucky not to have won.

As the field turned for home a horse racing on Chrysolite's inside went wide, carting her with him.

Jockey Lisa Allpress found herself in the shadow of the grandstand before being able to straighten and get cracking again.

Allpress has accepted the mount on the Murray Baker-trained Veldt tomorrow and Chrysolite will have the services of Vanessa Johnston.

Mr Southey said he is convinced Chrysolite would have won at her last Ellerslie outing had it not been for being carted wide.

As it was, there was only a short neck and a head between the first three placegetters but in money terms the difference for the Southeys was over $15,000 in stake earnings.

Her most obvious opposition tomorrow will come from Chris Wood's very promising 4-year-old Guns at Five and the equally talented young mare Our Milly Smith, from the Howie Mathews stable in Otaki.

But combination punters would be unwise not to include the aged duo at the top of the weights, Chettak and Sterling Prince.

The latter may appear to be out of form but should not be underrated.

Wayne and Vanessa Hillis have lined up this fellow in richer company than this in the past, including some of the country's most prestigious group races and have secured stakes approaching $500,000.

Don't be surprised if he bounces back to winning form.

Elsewhere on the card, punters will be keen to see the clash of 2-year-olds in the Platinum Homes Classic, a Group 3 event with a stake of $75,000.

On paper it should fall to Aussie invader Ockham's Razor, trained by Tony Freedman, with talented young Australian rider Daniel Moor aboard.

But trainer John Sargent would love his charge Choice Bro, who finished fourth to Ockhams Razor in the Karaka Millions, to turn the tables.