“I had thought about giving him an exhibition gallop somewhere as his final lead-up but this race suits nicely, so we have chosen to go there instead.
“He has a nice weight [56.5kg] and barrier draw [6] so he should be able to get a good trip in transit and if he can get clear air when he needs it, then we expect to see him in the finish.”
Weatherley is also out for a measure of revenge in the Wellington Cup, a race in which Ess Vee Are finished seventh earlier in the year after copping interference when Waisake lost his rider shortly after the start while also being inconvenienced by the tricky Soft6 track surface after plenty of rain on the day.
“He didn’t get all favours at Trentham and with such a big stride he just couldn’t get comfortable on a track that was cutting out a fair bit,” he said.
“He needs a good track to show his best so we have our fingers crossed that is what he will strike.
“He deserves to win a good race as long as he can avoid some of the bad luck he tends to find at times.”
The Weatherley camp will also target another of the Trentham features with top-class miler Mali Ston, who is on song for a start in the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) on January 11.
“Mali Ston went an enormous race in the Matamata Cup [Listed, 1600m] at his last start [for third] and he has thrived since then,” Weatherley said.
“He ran the best last 1000m in the race and the best last 600m of the whole day.
“He carried 59.5kg while the winner [Khafre] and runner up [Mary Shan] both had 53kg on their backs.
“We had considered a race at Ellerslie for him, but he likes a big, roomy track with a little bit of give in it, so Trentham should suit him down to the ground.
“He ran third in the race in 2022 carrying 57kg and this time the conditions of the race will see him carry 55kg so he looks pretty well in with the way he has been going lately.”
– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
