Racing: Bigger goals loom for cup participants

It is not often you could say the SkyCity Hamilton Casino Cup has been a worthwhile form guide to our major group races.

But at least three camps left Te Rapa convinced they were serious chances to snare much bigger cheques than the $17,000 purse they split on Saturday.

Impressive winner Veloce Bella and rider Michael Coleman sealed a start in the group one $200,000 Darci Brahma International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa next Saturday.

Not too far in behind, Six O'Clock News (third) and My Scotsgrey (fourth) were charging home to swell their following for the $1 million Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie on March 10.

TAB bookies were in their corner yesterday, trimming Six O'Clock News to a $7 chance and My Scotsgrey into $5 favouritism.

Both were never really serious hopes to beat the Mark Brosnan-trained favourite Veloce Bella over a blistering 2000m at this stage of their cup preparations, particularly My Scotsgrey.

The Trent Busuttin-trained Six O'Clock News, an inexplicable failure in Melbourne in the spring, had at least had the benefit of a fresh-up 1400m dash at Avondale on January 23.

However, My Scotsgrey, a notoriously one-paced stayer, was fresh-up from his dour win in the New Zealand Cup (3200m) last November.

"I didn't expect him to win over 2000m first up for two months but I was delighted with the run," said Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie.

"With the pace on I was hoping he'd find the line really well and put his hand up as an Auckland Cup chance.

"He should get into the race now just 1kg off the minimum; we just have to find the right race between now and then to top him off."

Ritchie says he has three options; at Ellerslie on February 20, Matamata a week later, or at Otaki in the St Leger Trial on February 28.

Yesterday he was leaning slightly towards the last mentioned.

It's a set-weight race against 3 and 4-year-olds and allows Ritchie to give the grey a paddle in a nearby Foxton beach, a formula he has used successfully in the past when campaigning his team in the Central Districts.

For a trainer with just a small team, Ritchie now boasts an enviable arsenal of talent.

He has the new cup favourite with My Scotsgrey, the New Zealand Oaks favourite in Keep The Peace and a horse Ritchie rates as a "realistic each-way chance" in the Derby with Military Move.

Ritchie was rapt with Military Move's fourth in the Guineas at Te Rapa on Saturday after being left a sitting duck for the swoopers in the straight.

"There was always a question mark with him over 2000m," said Ritchie.

"And he wasn't helped by being caught wide early. He had to work hard to get outside the leader.

"I'll take his blinkers off for the Championship Stakes.

"He'll draw an alley, with luck, and settle better."

Ritchie's class filly Keep The Peace runs next in the group two Sir Tristram Fillies Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa next Saturday.