Racing: Celebrate expected double ton at Te Teko today

Jockey James McDonald. Photo / Dean Purcell

Record-breaking manager Garry Cossey jokes that it might be just as well he is giving Te Teko the swerve today.

He was on course last Wednesday at Ruakaka confident he had protege James McDonald aboard the two winners needed to become the first rider to win 200 New Zealand races in a season.

Disappointingly, McDonald got one, Tekeela, leaving him stranded on 199.

Since then McDonald has returned to Brisbane to fulfil the last ride in a busy stretch of winter carnival weekend commitments.

Cossey concedes that Te Teko is something of an afterthought in the grand plan to crack Lisa Cropp's 2004/05 season record of 197 and the double ton.

Since equalling Cropp's mark on June 8 aboard La Tourneau at Matamata, the Cossey and McDonald show has hit a couple of speed bumps.

First, foul weather canned Pukekohe's Friday card after McDonald nabbed his 198th success aboard Cool Cruising.

Then he missed a full book of stand-out chances when heavy rain washed out Paeroa's June 18 programme.

"It'll come for sure - I just hope it happens sooner rather than later," said Cossey of the 200 milestone.

"When it does, there'll be some sort of celebration, that's for sure. But it's James McDonald's record and something for him to look back on and be proud of when it does happen."

Although today's book "fell into place a bit", Cossey feels certain he has assembled at least a couple of winning chances for his teen sensation.

He said McDonald was "pretty impressed" with the way Princess Etosha (R2) won at the Cambridge trials with him aboard on June 16.

The Craig Thornton-trained filly has been patiently handled.

She has been off the radar since finishing runner-up to subsequent winner Ab O'Reilly at the Te Teko trials last September.

Cossey is also expecting some fireworks from Old Drumble in leg two of the $100,000 terminating Pick6.

The Kashani 3-year-old was runner-up to Queensland Oaks winner Scarlett Lady over the same 1600m trip as recently as March.

He resumed after a short let-up with an encouraging close-up fourth over 1400m on this course on June 3.

"He's got to be a really strong winning chance," said Cossey.

McDonald's other mounts are Snowed In (R1), Showing Off (R3), Ebony And Ivory (R5), Star Of Reims (R6), Delta Lad (R7) and Hawick Park (R8).

Cossey said McDonald was likely to ride in New Zealand for at least another two weeks of the season before heading to Singapore to link with the Laurie Laxon-trained Martial Art in the Singapore Derby.

Meanwhile, Master Guru (leg four) looks another good chance to trim the Pick6 outlay today. He was dominant in winning fresh-up in the same grade at Te Awamutu on June 15.

With another 3kg allowance, this time from Shohei Shirahama, he should make it an R70 double.

He has performed second-up and seems to be much stronger this time in.

The track was yesterday rated heavy (10) with the rail out 13m.