Take the chance on the weight and barrier draw with So Lets at Awapuni today.
To win, the class Waikato mare has to give rapid riser Armstrong 1 1/2kg and come out of a wide barrier, but her Avondale Cup photo finish second proved she is up to it. So Lets won last season's Eulogy Stakes at her only appearance on the Awapuni track, so the left-handed going will be no problem. One barrier inside So Lets on No12 is Uncle, who is still hugely better off than he has been from gate No16 in the Counties and Waikato cups. He is due some luck and looks a must for the trifecta.
Hero (No1, R9) doesn't miss many opportunities at 1400m - he's won 10 from 14 in New Zealand - and he can prove his -376 season formline all wrong in the Air New Zealand Challenge Stakes. There have been excuses for his two most recent failures and from the No2 barrier this time he looks to have a bit in his favour.
Rising Cambridge star Beacon faces by far his toughest test so far in today's $A200,000 Villiers Stakes in Sydney, but he could be up to the task. This is not a classically strong stakes race and at his comfortable place in the weights, Beacon looks the goods in what will be a one-race attack in Australia.
Outnumbered (No2, R1) might be a good way to start the day at Te Rapa. It was not a bad effort when seventh in a much stronger field at Ellerslie last start and he looks to have each-way claims here.
Al Borak (No1, R4) may not have the best racing manners in the business, but he has talent and strikes a field here that looks within his scope.
Prince Ottwood (No8, R10) is worth another chance. He flopped in PQ class at Otaki last start, but is much better than that. He'd been unlucky at Tauranga the time before and this looks a nice race for him.
Sydney-based jockey Chris Munce will ride at the Ellerslie carnival after all.
Munce is booked to ride strongly-fancied Travellin' Man in the $250,000 McDonogh Stakes at Ellerslie on January 1, but was given a five-raceday suspension at Warwick Farm races in Sydney on Wednesday, which covered the New Year period.
Munce will ride under a stay of proceedings after his manager Bruce Clark yesterday filed an appeal against the severity of Wednesday's suspension.
Racing: Classy So Lets worth chance
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.