Racing: Aussies to sponsor ARC day

One of New Zealand's most famous weight-for-age races at Ellerslie next month will be known as the Starcraft New Zealand Stakes.

The 2000m, dominated by such greats as Balmerino, Bonecrusher and McGinty, will feature on the final day of Ellerslie's new March carnival, now to be known as Starcraft At Arrowfield Diamond Day.

The day and the race are being sponsored by Starcraft's Queensland owner Paul Makin in association with Australia's Arrowfield Stud, where Starcraft will serve his first season in the spring.

Hawkes Bay financial dynamo Sam Kelt can take a bow here.

Kelt may not even be at the March raceday, but his drive and determination to push the Kelt Capital Stakes to $1 million at Hastings 16 months ago is directly responsible for the Auckland sponsorship.

After winning two European group ones, the Prix du Moulin at Longchamp and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Newmarket, Starcraft was always going to be used to target New Zealand broodmare owners when he retired back in Australia.

But that targeting has gone to a different level - sponsorship - because of the extraordinary publicity the New Zealand-bred galloper generated when he came here for the 2004 Kelt Capital Stakes.

It's that level that merchant banker Kelt has aspired to and what all racing administrators need to grab for.

Paul Makin is a realist and is unashamedly using the feature Ellerslie raceday to help to launch Starcraft's stud career.

"When we came here more than a year ago it was for a racing focus, this time it's to focus on Starcraft's breeding career."

And Makin expects plenty of interest in the horse he bought from the Karaka salering.

"How many horses are standing at stud at this level in Australia with NZ alongside their names - not many.

"The fact he is by Soviet Star is a plus - we're targeting New Zealand because of the country's thoroughbred gene pool."

Accompanying Makin will be Gary Newham, who prepared Starcraft until the horse was sent to be trained in Europe. Newham became almost as well known as his horse in New Zealand, despite a typically laconic Australian personality.

"Gary's a real bushie and I know how much he appeals to New Zealanders.

"He appeals to me too. You know, Starcraft wouldn't have won the AJC Derby without him because I never in my wildest dream believed he'd run 2400m.

"Gary convinced me to run him. He said he'd love to give him a go at the Derby and I thought perhaps he knows more than me and, as it turned out, he did."

Makin describes Starcraft as "fat and sassy" as he lets down at Arrowfield.

"His libido looks pretty sharp, but they haven't given him a test service yet, because he'd probably want another one the next day. We don't want to tease him too much."

The Starcraft raceday will also feature the group one $150,000 Ford Diamond Stakes (1200m) for 2-year-olds.

* One very keen punter must have a reliable long-range weather forecast for the $600,000 Auckland Cup on the middle day of the three-day Ellerslie carnival.

Yesterday someone plonked $2000 on Empyreal to win the Cup at $80 - a bet of $160,000 to $2000.

The problem is, despite a great record, Empyreal could not win even a maiden race on a firm track.

Someone is tipping a wet March 8.