By MIKE DILLON
Trainer Mark Oulaghan is despairing of Jolly Rodger.
Every trainer likes to see a good barrier draw, but Jolly Rodger is a horse who really needs one.
The only time he runs truly is when he is on the inside running rail, but in his last two starts he has drawn 15 of 16 and paid the price at Awapuni, then 11 of 13 when sixth behind The Message at Hastings.
He has drawn 19 of 22 for tomorrow's $40,000 Centra Rotorua Challenge Plate and Oulaghan cannot believe his luck.
By contrast, three starts back Jolly Rodger came out of barrier one to win the Winter Cup at Riccarton.
Jolly Rodger's sixth to The Message was a terrific effort. He had to drop back from his shocking barrier and was running on strongly in the closing stages to be just over three lengths away.
That field was much stronger than the opposition tomorrow and Jolly Rodger drops from 59kg to 54.5kg.
He will need luck on a turning track, but if he gets it he has the class to swamp this field.
No Alimony showed her appreciation of stepping back up to a middle distance with an eye-catching 2000m win at Hastings last start. This opposition is a fair bit stronger, but she is a stayer of some worth when in form and on 52.5kg can stake a claim.
Rijeka is the interesting runner. She was beaten favourite when only 10th behind Call Minder at Matamata last start, but it was only her second start back this campaign.
She is now seven and could be expected to continue improving with racing.
It has taken King Keitel until he is six to race through to open company, but he has had only 20 starts and is still improving.
His Ellerslie win last week, in a bit easier class, was very good and he drops from 56.5kg to 52kg.
Even if he does not get his own way in front, Hero might simply be too good in the $40,000 Lion Brown Plate at Rotorua.
We have all seen how Hero can object if he does not get to make his own rules, and speedster Goldbrearne could be against Hero's plans to lead without being challenged. But the class act could weather that battle and still kick on in the closing stages.
Owner and trainer Jim Campin is happy Hero has had sufficient work to fit him for his first start since a fruitless trip to the Queensland winter carnival.
There will be plenty of opposition ready to run at Hero late in the race if he is in trouble. They include the improving Durzetta, Buster Brookfield and Arduous, who has returned from a winning trip to the Melbourne spring carnival.
Durzetta is an underrated mare. She looked certain to win when she burst to the front at the 300m when resuming at Ellerslie last start and was run down only in the last stride.
She is certain to be a lot fitter this time.
Buster Brookfield has persistently produced top performances in the best classes and his third to Cent Home two starts back, beaten only a half head and a head, would go close to winning this.
Racing: Draw against having a Jolly day
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