Racing: Devil of a task for Run Like Al

Run Like Al will tackle weight-for-age company at his next two starts. Photo / Supplied

Waiuku trainer Jakki Good is not looking forward to the next time she has to put Run Like Al in a handicap.

But it won't be for a while and, anyway, the way Run Like Al destroyed - and there's no other way to describe the performance - the opposition under 59.5kg at Ruakaka on Saturday, it may not be an issue.

Horses under 59.5kg simply don't run away and win by 4 lengths.

Yet Run Like Al did in an exhibition of power and talent.

The almost frightening conclusion is that Run Like Al could have won the race with significantly more weight.

There is a saying in racing that [enough] weight will stop a train, which is a nonsense because it couldn't.

But it does stop horses.

Run Like Al would have won Saturday's race with 60.5kg, but no one likes to see horses lumbered with impossible imposts.

The highly strung gelding will run under weight-for-age conditions in his next two appearances: the Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa and Hastings' Mudgway Stakes.

Sandblaster was honest as usual in chasing Run Like Al home and Miss Raggedy Ann would not have beaten the winner, but she should have been second.

She jumped awkwardly from the gates, nearly dislodging her young rider David Ho.

As a result she got a fair way off the speed and worked home nicely into third.

Outside of the winner, one of the runs of the race was from stayer Sterling Prince, who was making good late ground along the inside into fourth.

He looks to have come up well and should be in for a lucrative time in Australia through the spring.

Obsession was the victim of the running rail being moved out for a distance starting from the end of the back straight.

"She jumped away badly from the gates and got on the wrong leg," said rider Michael Coleman.

"Just as she got up on the bit she hit that awkward bend and came close to getting up on heels. It put her off her game."

Obsession ran wide on the bend after that and Coleman was pleased with the way she worked home into sixth.

Beautiful Girl got back in the field and did not make significant ground.

* It took James McDonald no time at all to pick things up from where he left them nearly three months ago, taking a winning double.

In his first raceday after a British riding trip, McDonald booted home stablemates Dashing Donna and Ima Lady, but had to bow in the jockey stakes to Sam Spratt.

She won the first on the favourite, Siberty, then won the last three races straight on Run Like Al, Govind and Bonus Bond.

* The first of the two juvenile races was a bit of a stock car affair.

Well fancied Happy Man failed to make the bend at the end of the back straight where the running rail had been altered and dropped quickly back through the pack.

In a field of mainly inexperienced youngsters it was lucky there was no real carnage.

Eventual winner Able Charm wasn't blameless either, hanging out badly from the rail in the home straight, causing interference.

Although there was nothing much left to challenge him late, Able Charm nonetheless won with authority.

The second 2-year-old race was won end-to-end by Cambridge filly Goldminer.

Local juvenile Flash Hapi, who was heavily backed, tried bravely to pull the winner back from the 200m, but was still a neck away at the finish.

Heat Applied:

* The beach-trained gelding was too good for his rivals at Ruakaka on Saturday.

* The way he dashed past the others late in the race suggested he was carrying 50kg, not 59.5kg topweight.

* Run Like Al will now tackle the Foxbridge Plate and Mudgway Stakes, both at weight-for-age.