KEY POINTS:
Stephen Marsh says he needs Chettak to win tomorrow's $200,000 Don Ha City Of Auckland Cup to assist with his move north to Cambridge.
No, he's not talking about the bus fare from Woodville to Cambridge.
More, he believes, a high profile win tomorrow will help him fill the new stables being built for him by the Cambridge Jockey Club, which will see Marsh split his team between two locations.
"And it would help me pay my first month's rent."
Chettak might just be the right horse to timely promote Marsh into the headlines.
He was beaten favourite in the Manawatu Cup last start, but his effort for third was as good as a winning performance.
It was almost impossible to make ground from the back in that race, particularly for those attempting to do it coming wide around the field.
After starting from an outside gate Chettak was wide for the second half of the race and made ground into third.
"I wasn't really certain he would go forward to the City Of Auckland Cup after Manawatu," said Marsh yesterday.
"I felt I had him right at his peak for Manawatu and that the race might take a bit out of him, but he's really gone on since that last race.
"I'm sure he's a better horse for it and I think he's capable of running a huge race."
A year ago Chettak won the Manawatu Cup then failed to finish in the first half of the field in the City Of Auckland Cup.
He carried 56kg in that race on a 51kg minimum and this time drops to 54kg on the same minimum, placing him at a comfortable level.
The stables being constructed for Marsh are expected to be finished by the end of January.
"I'm going to wait until the sales series is over. I see myself being settled into Cambridge by mid-February."
A Cambridge resident in Paul Duncan has a top chance in the $200,000 Waiwera Infinity Railway tomorrow with Pinsoir.
The smart sprinter has had only two races this season, a deliberate ploy by Duncan to get Pinsoir into the race on as light a weight as possible.
On only 1kg more than those already in the field, Duncan has achieved that.
Pinsoir looked spectacular winning fresh from a spell at Ellerslie back in September and with the Railway in mind, Duncan immediately spelled Pinsoir again.
You can take little notice of Pinsoir's ninth placing behind Brianna at his only start since, on Counties Cup Day at Ellerslie.
"He didn't do the 'off' track that day and anyway, got caught out wide from an outside barrier."
Duncan says barrier draws are crucial for Pinsoir and he believes the No 2 gate this time is perfect.
"He doesn't exactly pull hard, but unless he's got cover he gets a bit keen.
"He needs to be locked away and from the inside gate this time he'll get the right run.
"If he gets the right drag up he can really finish off."
The first significant bet the TAB fielded when early odds were posted yesterday morning was $1800 on New Zealand Cup winner Everswindell in the City Of Auckland Cup.
* Cup: $4 Pasta Post; $6.50 Everswindell; $8 Mirkola Lass; $9 Chettak; $10 Spin Around; $14 Resolution, Kerry O'Reilly; $17 Aukay; $18 Overkaast; $21 Cypress Point, Genuine Offer; $26 Carnegie Dancer; $31 Valley Chief, Ntamack, Gallions Reach; $41 Opportunity Knocks; $51 Governor Bois, Twopaddocks, All Square; $61 Chase The Sun; $81 Spectacular Icon.
* Railway: $4.40 Needuask; $4.80 Pinsoir; $7 Imananabaa; $7.50 Baldessarini; $8 Accardo; $11 Brianna, St Verdi, Martini Red; $12 Leadership; $16 Victory Code; $21 Superalloy, Kay's Awake; $26 Tatlock; $31 Happy Sculpture, Magic Tryst; $41 True Valour; $81 Smartway.
