KEY POINTS:
Don Dwyer has achieved his first main goal with Dead Rabbits.
And he's looking for his second in tomorrow's $50,000 Te Awamutu Wines And Spirits Cup.
Dwyer recently bought the dam of Dead Rabbits, Blanche Amelia and his desire for the mare to attain stronger black type stakes rating was the reason for the Pukekohe trainer putting Dead Rabbits in the recent Kiwifruit Cup at Tauranga.
The third to Figure Of Speech landed him the stakes placing he sought.
Dwyer had good reason to buy Blanche Amelia - he made massive money when he recently sold to Australia a daughter of the mare, Bianca.
Dropping back from 2100m to tomorrow's distance of 1600m is not easy for some horses, but Dwyer does not see it as an issue for Dead Rabbits.
"I think there is a nice race in the spring for the horse and I don't want to bottom him out running him in a middle distance on the heavier tracks of winter.
"I've bottomed him out during other winters, but this time I want to have a crack at a decent spring race with him.
"For that reason the 1600m this time is ideal. He's got plenty of natural speed, so I don't see the 1600m as being a problem."
A win for Dead Rabbits would be timely.
His second-last victory was at Ellerslie on June 18, 2005 and his most recent came on June 18 last year at the Te Awamutu track.
Dwyer took the horse to Melbourne immediately after that win, but Dead Rabbits developed travel sickness, which became obvious after he finished last at Flemington in his only start in Australia.
Wins may be infrequent for Dead Rabbits, but his form on heavy tracks is consistent - he has had two wins and five placings from eight starts in the heavy stuff.
Dwyer would like to aim him at a race like the Avondale Cup, a race won by his granddam Cariere.
The 6kg Dead Rabbits gets off joint topweights Kenadaad and Baltaine will prove very valuable.
Dwyer also has Lazaros engaged.
He, too, will appreciate the heavy footing.
"I thought he went a nice race first-up on a track that was a bit too good for him, then last start he was checked on the home bend and couldn't get sprinting again."
Even with 59kg, Kenadaad is the likely favourite after three very sound wins.
What will help him carry his weight is his absolute determination to win. Two starts back at Te Rapa he looked certain to fill a minor placing close to the finish, but refused to be beaten and thrust his head in front in the last two strides.
There is a statistic in this race that might prove misleading - Baltaine has had four cracks at 1600m and has failed to fill a place in any of them.
But they have been in races like the group one Captain Cook Stakes on footing firmer than he prefers.
A better guide is his second to Pentane over 1670m at Paeroa last spring.
Last start, over 1600m, he was held up on the home turn before finishing fifth, two lengths off Kenadaad at Wanganui.
You could argue the check to his momentum accounted for most of the two lengths he was beaten.
Ascot Isle's form in three starts following a long break has not produced a dividend-bearing placing, but it might be premature to drop her.
Her work before her fifth to Ististar at Tauranga has been excellent and there were a number of runners that day that will turn their form around.
* Latest odds: $4.80 Ascot Isle; $5 Baltaine; $5.50 Bellevue Lass, Kenadaad; $7.50 Lazaros; $8.50 Dead Rabbits; $11 Daraldo; $16 Art Link; $17 Wise Man's Step; $20 The Guitar Man.
