“She is a good mare but could have easily gone to a graded race and been a great winning chance,” explains Noble.
“But the Breeders didn’t come up super strong and we know what a Group 2 placing would be worth to her broodmare career.
“So it makes sense and she isn’t out of it from barrier 6 with Warren on.”
The Breeders has an even feel as some have been in form, others not so much but racing in stronger weight-for-age company and others will relish the drier ground after the roller-coaster track conditions of the spring so far.
It could be a race that comes down to tempo: if they get a breather in the middle stages the speedsters may be too quick but if there is pressure the 2000m mares such as Campionessa could come into play late down the big straight.
Aquacade can probably win the Counties Cup either way as long as the 59kg topweight doesn’t dull her edge, which Noble is confident it won’t.
“It is not a big field or super strong so I think she can get away with it,” he explains.
“Her main summer aim is the Zabeel Classic back here on Boxing Day but she was doing too well after her last-start win and she needs a race.
“So this work well, it is a track she loves and 20 minutes from home.”
Already a 100-rated mare winning tomorrow would probably rule Aquacade out of the summer of cups as she would have to carry too much but Noble says they are not really her aim.
“She won at weight-for-age last start and that is what we are aiming at next on Boxing Day.
“If, and we know it is an if, she can get her Group 1 in the Zabeel Classic then her aim for the autumn would be Australia, not here.
“So we think this is a good target and we can’t worry about weight and the future.”
Noble warns punters to look out for Dazzled (R2, No 10), who had no luck last start and has the finishing kick to not be too harshly affected by her widish draw over the 1200m.
Princes of Pukekohe
● Trainer Lance Noble and jockey Warren Kennedy have been in sensational form at Pukekohe this season.
● They won four races each at the last meeting on November 7.
● The pair have Aquacade back in her favourite track for tomorrow’s $170,000 Counties Cup.
● Tomorrow’s meeting hosts four black type races as the northern summer of racing starts to heat up.
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.
