KEY POINTS:
If you need advice, you might as well go to the oldest, wisest head around.
Pentane, the favourite for today's $700,000 SkyCity Auckland Cup at Ellerslie, found the oldest head in the business - 22-year-old former champion sprinter Mr Tiz.
He's spent most of the last two years rubbing noses as paddock mate with the best sprinter New Zealand has ever produced.
But you'd have to question the tips Mr Tiz can provide Pentane - after all he won New Zealand's premier sprint, Ellerslie's Railway Handicap, three times. Pentane, on the other hand, is racing's equivalent of a marathon runner.
That doesn't stop the constant dialogue between the two hugely talented thoroughbreds.
"They're great mates," said Petane's trainer Lance O'Sullivan, who rates Mr Tiz equal to the best he rode through his champion career.
The only facet of horse racing Mr Tiz can't provide Pentane with is fitness.
"He's one big fat unit," says O'Sullivan.
"Pentane gets fed in the paddock three times a day and, of course, you have to chuck the old bloke three feeds as well.
"Mind you, he's had a big guts for 18 years - he used to race like that."
Michael Walker won last year's Auckland Cup on Pentane and rode the horse again for a stylish fourth in his final lead-up at Matamata last Saturday week.
Walker climbed off the horse at Matamata and said: "He feels better than he did last year."
O'Sullivan doesn't agree with that.
And his opinion deserves respect - he rides Pentane in all his trackwork.
"I can't go along with Mickey's thoughts," said O'Sullivan yesterday.
"Last year the horse had a picket fence form line [a lot of ones], but he doesn't this year.
"He had a trouble-free campaign last year and this time he's had a string of problems.
"He's also up 3.5kg on his winning weight last year - we have to be realistic, I don't rate him a good thing."
But O'Sullivan swears he's not trying to put a negative slant on his horse.
Punters are happier than the trainer - Pentane has been the cup favourite since his eye-catching Matamata run 11 days ago and last night was quoted at $3.20, ahead of Kingsinga on $4.50.
* $700,000 Auckland Cup Ellerslie at 5.50pm today.
