Racing: Asian challenge a dream away

Te Awamutu horse Leigh Valley. Picture / Hawkes Bay Today

It's something of a pipe dream but Waikato trainer Richard Otto hopes it can move closer to reality today.

Otto has entered two horses - Penitentiary and Atapi - for the new Asian Mile Challenge series and while the Te Awamutu horseman realises it represents a tall order, he takes the attitude you can't win if you're not in.

Entries for the four-race series run in Melbourne, Dubai, Hong Kong and Japan closed this week and Penitentiary and Atapi are among the six horses entered with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.

The other four are Belthazar and Leigh Valley, trained by Graeme Sanders and Debbie Sweeney, Mr Multiwin (Tim Carter) and Snazzy (Jeff Lynds).

The first race in the series is the A$700,000 ($766,000) Futurity Stakes at Caulfield, Melbourne, on March 4.

Following is the US$5 million ($7.31 million) Dubai Duty Free in Dubai on March 25, the US$1.03 million Champions Mile in Hong Kong on May 7 and the US$2 million Yasuda Kinen in Japan on June 4.

Neither Penitentiary nor Atapi could be described as New Zealand's top milers at this point but Otto was hopeful both would boost their stocks in the group one $150,000 Thorndon Mile Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on January 28.

"We'll see how we look after the Thorndon," Otto told NZPA. "Both horses haven't been wound up yet - they are just on their way up.

"But, at their best, both are capable and have performed in Australia."

Both are down to race today and Otto has deliberately kept them apart.

Atapi races in a $25,000 open handicap over 1600m at Ellerslie and Penitentiary is down to race at Awapuni in a $16,000 open handicap over 1400m.

Atapi goes into the Ellerslie race on the back of a useful sixth in the $100,000 Rich Hill Mile Handicap (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 1. Otto said little improvement would be required for him to be hard to beat.

"He wouldn't have to go much better than he did last start to be a serious threat," he said.

"I'd expect him to race very well. He's done great and looks fantastic."

The 4-year-old Last Tycoon gelding, who won the Sunshine Coast Guineas (1560m) in Queensland last winter, was far from disgraced in the Rich Hill Mile after starting from an outside draw.

He got back to fourth from last, was held up for a run at the top of the straight and after getting out towards the middle of the field was switched back to the inner for a clear run.

Atapi had his chance over the last 100m but Otto was not disappointed.

"He was still carrying a bit of weight and he probably still wasn't fully fit for that one," he said.

Otto said if he didn't go down the path of the Asian Mile series with Atapi he would look at the A$2 million Doncaster Handicap in Sydney on April 17 as a long-term objective.

"We'll just see how he progresses. Whether it's 12 months too soon for the Doncaster, who knows?"

Penitentiary should also perform well for Otto at Awapuni. The Pentire 5-year-old gelding has raced just once this season when ninth in the $200,000 Railway Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie.

Otto said it was a useful first-up effort after being checked in the first 300m and getting back to third-last. But he was only 3 lengths from the winner Baldessarini after having little room in the straight.

"He's made good ground - come from a long way off them - and he wasn't that far away at the line."

Otto believes Penitentiary will develop into a miler-2000m horse but said he could not be written off today.

"The small field on Saturday is going to help. He's beaten the best of them at 1400 so he's got to be a chance."

- NZPA