Racing: Don't Ya write off chances

Allan Sharrock smiled to himself when he heard the midweek weather forecast for Hamilton through to Sunday.

While sunny skies sway an army of punters into Seachange's corner for the $60,000 Johar Foxbridge Plate, the New Plymouth trainer is more confident than ever Don't Ya Lovett remains the horse to beat.

The Lord Ballina 7-year-old has freshened up such a treat since his Opunake Cup win, the last thing Sharrock wanted was a bog track for the clash of the season at Te Rapa tomorrow.

"Don't forget he's capable of running 1min 10s for 1200m, but also don't fool yourself into thinking the fine weather will make the track firm," said Sharrock.

"It'll still be chopping up by race eight and they'll be running around 1m 26s - I can't see them going much quicker than that."

While Don't Ya Lovett - the winner of nine races on tracks soft or worse - hasn't raced since July 22, Sharrock said he's never had him more primed for a 1400m feature.

"When you're racing against a champion filly you can never be overconfident but put it this way, I couldn't be happier with the horse," he said. "He's had two gallops at the beach which is new to him and he's thriving. Seachange is freakish, but if she's ever going to be beaten, she's vulnerable this week.

"She's second-up at weight-for-age and my horse is jumping out of his skin at the moment."

Sharrock believes a firmer track - it should come back to dead with no rain - also counts against some other rivals in the feature leg of the $500,000 Pick6, like Bulginbaah and Rat Tat.

After tomorrow though, Sharrock admits the crystal ball gets a little bit foggier on Don't Ya Lovett's future.

The 108 rating scares Sharrock off setting him for the Merial Metric Mile at Awapuni on September 16 because of the crushing topweight.

He believes Don't Ya Lovett's best hopes of staying out of the paddock for now rest with the weather.

He's keeping a watchful eye on Sydney forecasts over the next four days with the possibility of a lightning raid on the A$200,000 Warwick Stakes tomorrow week.

But Sharrock's only serious about putting Don't Ya Lovett on Tuesday's flight if he can be assured of a wet Randwick tipping the scales in his favour against superstars like Eremein and Racing To Win.

Sharrock's other option is to freshen Don't Ya Lovett again, pray for a damp start to the Hastings spring carnival and make a late entry for the Mudgway Stakes on September 2.

"I'd love to take on Wahid and Darci Brahma on a slow track with a fit horse - he's always going to be hard to beat at weight-for-age on an off-track," he said.

"Until then we'll just keep him in cotton wool waiting to see what the weather pattern does."

Meanwhile, the outlook in the Seachange camp continues to brighten each time the glamour mare steps out on the track.

Cambridge trainer Ralph Manning says the unbeaten 4-year-old has improved 100 per cent since her fresh-up win at Te Rapa on July 29.

And as far as Manning is concerned the second-up syndrome won't be a factor.

"She's improved out of sight since then - I'm really happy with her," said Manning.

"We've drawn wide again but hopefully we've used up all our bad luck so we'll get a decent alley for the Mudgway."

Tomorrow's race also marks the return to the saddle of Aussie jockey Gavin McKeon for the first time since Seachange won at Woodville in January.

Manning opted for promising apprentice Craig Grylls and his 3kg claim when she won fresh-up last month.

And he's been using his own track riders at home, despite having McKeon's services at his disposal since he returned to New Zealand a few weeks back.

"I don't really care about that," said Manning. "I've got my own riders at home who know my different patterns of working and what I want."

Manning believes the danger to the two favourites tomorrow could be stablemate Rags To Riches, who is yet to find his Easter Handicap form from last season.

The 6-year-old was beaten by hurdler Tenjuberrymud fresh-up at Ruakaka, and then just battled into fifth behind Seachange last time out after taking his stablemate on in front.

Rags To Riches has Easter rider Michael Coleman back on tomorrow and meets Seachange 5kg better off in the weights.

"They cut each other's throats last time," said Manning.

"He's a better horse than anyone rates: he's as tough as teak."


Foxbridge odds

$2.10 Seachange
$3.85 Don't Ya Lovett
$10 Bulginbaah
$11 Rags To Riches
$13 Royal Secret, Zvezda
$22 Daniel Samson, Danz Star
$35 Avaroadi, Rat Tat
$40 Ben Sparta
$50 Grani