By MIKE DILLON
Ken Browne has restricted his association with luxury cars to a successful association with the Mercedes Great Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie.
Browne takes his own Mercedes, rising star Blazing, to Te Rapa tomorrow to try to win the $100,000 Waikato Times Gold Cup.
Few stayers in recent years have made the impression Blazing has in coming through the grades.
"Every jockey who rides him says he's a Mercedes," said Browne yesterday, who is putting Blazing into by far his toughest test so far.
Browne had intended dropping the gelding straight into the $350,000 Westbury Farm Auckland Cup without his having raced since his seven-length victory at Riccarton a month ago.
"But the way the weather is I thought this was worth a crack. The rain midweek should have the Te Rapa track perfect.
"The surface there will hold the water better than most tracks."
Blazing looked good working away from race rival Rijeka in the closing stages of a 2100m barrier trial at Te Aroha 10 days ago.
Spacing Blazing's races is a deliberate ploy to allow his developing body to strengthen.
"He feels stronger after every race."
Blazing has finishes strongly from well back in his recent races, but Browne says he is so adaptable he can race anywhere.
"If there is no pace on he'll be just as happy to lead."
Desert Rain is the difficult runner to assess. He failed to settle in when sent to Melbourne for spring racing, but has done much better since returning to Sheila Laxon's stable three weeks ago.
Laxon took the big stayer to the Counties trials last Friday and he looked more himself when finishing strongly to win.
"He's become much more relaxed again," said Laxon.
The Cambridge trainer does little speed work with Desert Rain and she says for that reason it is difficult to get a line on the horse's aerobic fitness for the 2400m.
Bluebird The Word deserves some luck. He was wide throughout the Avondale Cup and was only threequarters of a length away from the winner She's A Meanie in sixth place.
The job will not be easy under 57.5kg from an outside gate, but he has the class.
The Graeme Sanders trained Magic Winner also has the class to win.
The Queen Elizabeth Handicap winner has drawn barrier 18 although he will come in to 15 if the emergencies don't make the final field.
After a trip to Melbourne where he sustained a minor injury after striking an unsuitable wet track in the Herbert Power Handicap, the gelding had his first run back in New Zealand in the Avondale Cup where he fought on well for eighth.
A victory for Magic Winner would edge jockey Gary Grylls closer to an important milestone. He is just five victories away from his 1000th win.
Racing: Blazing like a luxury car
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