Racing: Congrats a good guess for James

Roger James has approached Derby races in different ways, but never like this.

Three times winner of the Ellerslie race, James tackles today's $600,000 Mercedes Derby with Congrats having never tested the horse.

All the other serious contenders have a form cross-reference against each other. While that was happening, Congrats was running around in secondary school uniform.

But the way he won four of five starts in lower grades has punters flocking to him, driving him into second favouritism behind Wahid.

Preparation has been driven by time. James could have run Congrats in the 2100m Champion Stakes at Ellerslie won by Wahid, but it meant racing him three times in two weeks, thereby running the risk of getting over the top of an inexperienced horse.

"I wasn't prepared to do that. My job was to make sure he wasn't sitting in his box the day the Derby was run.

"I had to take that step first, then worry about the preparation."

Trainers are under immense pressure leading into a race like the Derby and you get the impression James is trying to deflect any pressure with a casual approach.

If there is pressure there it's not showing, although you know he would have preferred a cross-reference with one of the top chances.

"Yes, I'm guessing like all the others about how he lines up against these horses, but he's second favourite so someone's got a strong opinion.

"I'm proud to have him there, I'm extremely confident he'll run out the 2400m and he's dead ready for it.

"I'm as confident as I've been with any of my Derby runners."

If that's true, then taking a line through Zonda's complete Derby dominance of his year, Congrats is a huge winning hope.

Like most, James believes it is an open field.

"I like any one of half a dozen of the others. If I had to narrow it down to one I would say Gallions Reach."

Wahid remains the favourite, trainer Allan Sharrock declaring the horse in the best condition of his career.

Wahid was eased significantly in betting to $3.80 after drawing an outside barrier position, but his quote is clear of second favourite Congrats.

* The remainder of the top of the market is: $6 Black Panther, $12 Gallions Reach, $13 Abbey Drive, $14 Charliehorse, $15 Final Reality, $17 Twopaddocks, Diego Cao, $18 Twinkling, $21 Sculptor.

* Trainers and jockeys will be competing for more than prizemoney over the three-day ARC carnival.

Yesterday the Auckland Racing Club announced the inauguration of the Ritchie/Verner award for trainers in recognition of the tremendous influence on racing at Ellerslie the Ritchie and Verner families have had.

The jockeys will compete for the Grenville Hughes award in a mark of respect for that great rider.

The leading jockey and trainer will receive two nights' accommodation at the SkyCity Grand Hotel and dinner to the value of $300 at Dine with Peter Gordon, as well as an engraved silver salver trophy.

The winners will be determined by the number of winners and in the case of a draw, by stakemoney won.