KEY POINTS:
It's only his natural brilliance that could prevent Pasta Post coping with the 3200m of Saturday's Wellington Cup, says trainer Graeme Sanders.
Pasta Post today drew perfectly at No 2 yesterday and remained a firm $3.50 favourite for the $350,000 group one test of stamina at Trentham.
But New Zealand's latest star of the staying ranks - with only one defeat from eight starts - has yet to race beyond 2400m and Sanders said an extra 800m always had to be a query.
"The only thing we don't know is whether he can go two miles (3200m) or not," Sanders told NZPA.
"Whether he's an out-and-out stayer I don't really know."
But the 4-year-old's victory over the 2400m of the group two $200,000 City of Auckland Cup at Ellerslie on January 1 gave Sanders confidence.
"He might have too much flair to go that far," he said. "But personally I don't think it will worry him, only because of the way he finished off the race at Ellerslie.
"The horse is at the top of his game. This is a good time to find out."
Another key for Pasta Post, a gelding by Postponed, was a track not too hard, Sanders said.
"If it was rock hard he won't be starting. The fire has to be out of the track."
The track for racing at Trentham on Monday was rated dead after being well watered beforehand and there is every likelihood a similar surface will be sought for Saturday.
Sanders is wary of hard tracks after Pasta Post suffered a pedal bone injury to a front foot following victory in the Manawatu Classic last March.
- NZPA
