KEY POINTS:
Owners of horses like Bulginbaah understandably love them.
Journalists admire them, but hate them at the same time.
The reason is that when you've won 18 races like Bulginbaah, the last handful in a row, what new angle can you possibly come up with to preview a race he dominates?
If there is anything in form, statistics, or any other measuring stick you can put across tomorrow's $60,000 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate, Bulginbaah comes out the winner.
He carried 62kg to a defiant win on his home track at Wanganui last start.
The weight probably should have beaten him, but his warrior heart refused to yield.
Baltaine and Capecover are two of the toughest to beat tomorrow.
The stats that define this race are: Bulginbaah gave Capecover 6kg at Wanganui and Baltaine 3kg.
Tomorrow all three carry 59kg.
Unless you can make a case that Bulginbaah is not physically as well as he was at Wanganui, you cannot possibly justify tipping either Baltaine or Capecover to beat him this time.
So if you can't come up with a decent angle around Bulginbaah you get quotes from the connections of the opposition. Right?
Alexander Fieldes, trainer of Capecover, sees Bulginbaah every morning at the Wanganui track.
ARA, as he's best known, was in town when we contacted him yesterday.
"I've just come in to buy a 30m high-strength tow-rope to tie on to the back of Bulginbaah - it's the only chance we've got of keeping him in sight."
Which pretty much tells the story of how rival trainers feel.
A better chance might be Baltaine, who, along with Bulginbaah, has Foxbridge Plate experience.
Baltaine won last year's Foxbridge with Bulginbaah fourth and in 2006 Bulginbaah won the race beating Don't Ya Lovett and Seachange.
Baltaine might be an 8-year-old, but co-trainer JJ Rayner expects a big effort.
"He doesn't quite have the racing background he had going into the race last year, but he's done plenty of work at home. He's a year older and he's taken more racing to get fit, but I believe he's at least as good as at any stage of his career."
But even Rayner is under no illusions about the enormity of the task. "If we get past him [Bulginbaah] we'll be doing well. He's nearly unbeatable at the moment."
The course stat of three wins from four starts at Te Rapa look impressive for Baltaine.
The fresh horse with no stats around Bulginbaah is Ististar.
The mare has been beautifully placed by Stephen McKee, picking up $155,000 for winning her last three races straight against her own sex. Although she tackles all-comers, she appeals as a place chance at least.
* OUR COVER: Bulginbaah launches his winning run as the field fans at Wanganui last month.
$60,000 FOXBRIDGE PLATE
* Bulginbaah has been in superb winning form, being unbeaten this preparation.
* He beat Capecover and Baltaine carrying a huge 62kg last start and this time meets them 6kg and 3kg better off.
* At level weights it's difficult to see the opposition beating him.
* The fresh runner is Ististar, winner of her last three starts.
