Rain would boost chances of Elusive win

On a day when all eyes will be focused on Melbourne in anticipation of a Kiwi win in the Emirates Stakes that surely must fall to the brilliant Jimmy Choux, Masterton trainer Aaron Bidlake will focus on Riccarton.

His mare Elusive Tracy is the lone Wairarapa runner at the meeting on a weekend that is low for Central Districts participation.

Bidlake is currently riding high with his O'Reilly mare Bella Carolina having won at Trentham on Melbourne Cup day and Elusive Tracy has not been long away from the winner's circle.

Tomorrow she lines up in the opening race on the card, a Rating 75 over 1400m.

She has drawn nicely at four and will have the services of Matt Cameron, recognised as a capable, strong rider.

Elusive Tracy is not at home on top of the ground and Bidlake will be hoping for soft or heavy going for her to show her best.

Given that she gets the conditions she needs Elusive Tracy looks like a good proposition for trifecta and first four investors.

By including Milo, Excuseable and Minnaloushka you should get a return.

Meanwhile, Wairarapa punters will join with all other racing folk in the country in cheering for Jimmy Choux as he attempts to give the best Aussies a lesson in the day's feature.

He is, without doubt, the most exciting galloper this country has racing, with a turn of foot that is quite remarkable.

I suppose we can claim some sort of Wairarapa connection to him as his jockey Jonathan Riddell has family connections here and from memory learnt his craft at pony club in South Wairarapa.

I know he certainly rode his first winner at Tauherenikau and, boy, he has come a long way since. He is now regarded as one of this country's very best, and certainly at home on the world stage.

Should "the shoe" not be able to pull off a win in the Emirates then let's hope the Kiwi flag is flying with Wall Street or - should he manage to get a start - with Roger James' charge He's Remarkable.

Both are class acts and in the case of He's Remarkable the best is yet to come.

Wall Street has been a great campaigner for trainer Jeff Lynds. He will be ridden by Hugh Bowman, a first-class Australian rider, who has formed an attachment with New Zealand having ridden here with success and linking up with Kiwi runners in Aussie with even greater success.

Bowman, of course, was aboard Sangster winning the Victoria Derby just last weekend, and won the previous year's derby aboard the Kiwi galloper Liontamer.

With no Central District meeting and a shift of interest to across the Tasman it's a fair bet most Wairarapa punters will be glued to the screen to watch the wonderful racemare Black Caviar in the 1200m sprint at Flemington.

She has won 15 straight for Peter Moody and although it is said they can all get beaten, let's hope it's not tomorrow. Racing always needs a champion.