Racing: Don't Ya Lovett primed

If you want to risk an anchor to cut costs in chasing the $1million Pick6 at Riccarton tomorrow, Don't Ya Lovett is your horse.

Trainer Allan Sharrock is confident he has his New Plymouth raider primed for the race of his life in the pivotal fourth leg, the Aussie Brownes Pharmacy Winter Cup.

All the 6-year-old's Winter Cup stars, says Sharrock, are aligning at exactly the right time.

He has a track he should handle - heavy, but not a bottomless bog - he has the big-race rider in Leith Innes and best of all, the exciting 6-year-old has improved out of sight since his gallant second to Winter Cup rival Hamilton Road in the Opunake Cup.

Sharrock's vet didn't think Don't Ya Lovett would even make Hawera that day after suffering a severely cut leg.

Combine that with the fact Don't Ya Lovett was running over 1400m, a distance now short of his best, and that he got no favours making his finish wide while Hamilton Road cut the final corner, and you know where Sharrock is coming from.

"He's going to be very hard to beat in the Winter Cup," promised Sharrock, always a headline act over the National carnival.

"I've targeted this race with him right from the word go, and he's right on song. Put it this way, you won't need to be taking too many others in the Pick6 with him."

Don't Ya Lovett was a costly flop in the same race last year when arriving with a huge reputation through the lower grades.

But this time round Sharrock knows he's dealing with a more professional and stronger animal than the one who floundered to finish 12th, almost 10 lengths from winning stablemate Go Thenaki.

Go Thenaki is back to attempt the double and if Don't Ya Lovett has a chink, Sharrock's course specialist could be the one to capitalise.

He's seven now with a gut-busting 57kg to lump through what should be a puggy track. The penetrometer was hovering around 5 yesterday, with fine weather forecast through to post time.

But Go Thenaki grows another leg at the Mainland's showpiece, with three wins from eight attempts, and is a ball of muscle after a recent 2000m trials win over hurdles.

"His last run is best forgotten," said Sharrock. "He can sometimes do that. We had his back manipulated through the week and that's ironed out a few kinks.

"I think he's just as good as he was this time last year, and he'll be at the same sort of odds."

Sharrock has the firepower to win another three legs of the Pick6.

Ocean Cookie will be better suited to the 1200m on the carnival's final day, but Sharrock still rates him a strong winning hope if the fifth is run to suit.

"Michael Walker tells me that Tenjuberrymud should win, but we all saw what my mare is capable of with blinkers on for the first time last time and the 3kg claim is a big assist. I rate Jonathon Parkes the best 3kg claimer in the Central Districts."

Parkes also teams with stablemate Salt in the fifth leg, and the in-form Sheza Dooley in the last.

Salt, a certainty beaten at this meeting last year when Mark du Plessis misjudged the position of the finishing post, looks well placed.

Sheza Dooley meets the smart Miles in the next, but Sharrock expects the Grosvenor 5-year-old to be hard to beat with Parkes' claim.

"I know she's coming back to 1800m, but by late in the day the track should be quite testing."

Sharrock also warns against leaving stablemate King George out of Pick6 calculations in the same race. He hasn't won since scoring in a 1200m event at this carnival two years ago. But apprentice Kelly Myers brings King George's weight down to a competitive 55.5kg and a recent second to Bodie in a hurdles trial has the Shinko King gelding cherry ripe.

* The TAB fixed-odds dividends yesterday were: $3.50 Don't Ya Lovett; $6.50 Harbour Magic; $8 Hamilton Road; $9 Shanamann; $12 Jack Be Nimble, Juicy Fruit Mambo, Hustler; $14 Star O'The Ball; $16 Go Thenaki; $20 Woodbury Lane, Lordship; $35 Bejayjay; $40 Classic Design; $50 Blue Cavalier; $60 Plaything, Noir D'Ore; $100 Jamesmyname, Eskander, Le Count; $150 Empire Jane.