By Barry Street
Trainers Stephen and Trevor McKee pulled the right rein when they decided to run their unbeaten filly, Sunline, against her own age group at Ellerslie yesterday.
Had they chosen to go for win No 8 with 9kg the lighter weight in the open-class Albion Hotel Sprint they could have had a real race on their hands.
They could also have done Sunline's immediate future in Australia more harm than good.
Straight Back, a 4-year-old seeking a sixth successive win, was the star of the 1200m Albion in 1:9.63 - well inside Sunline's time seven races earlier, albeit on slightly faster footing.
The McKees had anticipated the speed being right on from the likes of Straight Back, Ali Fiesta, Mi Signora and Off The Cuff.
They were relieved at the outcome. Sunline, fresh from a spell, could have been flattened by a sub-1:10 1200m with pressure all the way.
From No 2 barrier stall, Straight Back enjoyed the run of the race and burst clear early in the run home to beat a fast-finishing Snagol by a length and a quarter.
"That was his best race yet," declared Straight Back's rider, Peter Johnson.
"For the first time, in the barrier and everywhere, he acted like a real racehorse."
Next time out for Straight Back will be a real test of his class. He is bound for Te Rapa on Saturday week and the group one $100,000 Waikato Draught Sprint, a weight-for-age 1400m.
Others seeking high honours at Te Rapa are the 3-year-old fillies Scarlet Runner and Pompeii River, first and an unlucky second respectively in yesterday's State Insurance 1600 at Ellerslie.
Both will progress to the $100,000 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic, a group two 2000m, in which the New Zealand Oaks winner Savannah Success is not a definite starter.
Nahayan, third in the New Zealand Derby and fourth in the Oaks, has already been ruled out of the Fillies Classic. She is being aimed for an AJC Australian Derby-Oaks double on April 3 and 10.
Horse Racing: Six on end gives Straight
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