Racing: Building up steam for Railway run

Baldessarini is a firm favourite for the Railway Handicap. Picture / Greg Bowker

Manawatu trainer Anne Herbert last season toyed with the idea of running Baldessarini in the Telegraph Handicap.

That would have been a very tall order for Baldessarini to run in the Wellington group one sprint as it was only the month before he had notched his second career win.

Baldessarini did not take his place in the 1200m race last January but it was a clear indication of the high regard in which Herbert held the horse.

A year later Baldessarini is the favourite to win this Sunday's group one $200,000 Railway Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie, and Herbert is glad she didn't plunge the horse into the deep end 12 months ago.

"We just decided to sit and wait and we are pleased that we have," Herbert said.

Baldessarini went on to run second at each of his five subsequent starts last season and Herbert said the horse simply lacked mental maturity.

This season has been a different story.

The five-year-old gelding, by Green Perfume, has been beaten only once in five starts and Herbert said the change in fortune was more mental than physical.

"He's come of age, he's handling everything much better," she said.

"He's a lot more relaxed with his racing this time in."

Herbert said Baldessarini was coping much better with the regimes of racing and training.

"He's not getting stressed about any of it, he never fails to eat up.

"Last year he did worry a little bit - he was never bad - and he did tend to run around a little in his races.

"He just didn't get things quite right last season but all that now seems to be behind him."

Herbert said jockey Lisa Cropp had reported Baldessarini had become very tractable to place in a field during a race.

"He's settled into a pattern where, according to Lisa, he can pretty much race exactly where she wants him to, whether it's in front or settling in behind."

An example of the horse's maturity came at his last start when he scored by 2 lengths in a $20,000 open class event over 1200m at Ellerslie on December 11.

Herbert said there was no doubt about the verdict on the trip north.

"He passed with flying colours. It was his first ever trip away from the stables and he never left one oat.

"It was his race right-handed and he handled that absolutely fine."

Also encouraging was the result of the race.

Second was the John Sargent-trained Royal Entertainer, who franked the form by winning the $35,000 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on Monday.

Herbert said that hopefully enhanced Baldessarini's prospects for Sunday, but she was not getting carried away.

"But in saying that you can never be over confident in a race like that. It's a big race, it's pressure and it's a field of good sprinters."

The field for the Railway is drawn today but yesterday Baldessarini remained a firm favourite at $4.50 on the New Zealand TAB's fixed-odds market.

Added Herbert: "It would nice to get a good draw, a perfect track, a perfect trip. But all things being equal he would have as good a chance as any other runner."

Herbert said Baldessarini was a possible leader in the Railway.

"He can lead but that will be something we will leave completely up to Lisa [Cropp].

"That's what she's best at. If there's no speed the chances are she will lead. But if something wants to run, she can settle him in behind."

- NZPA