Racing: Experience to pay off

Photo / Thinkstock

The experiment of bringing Werther north to Ellerslie for a race at the Derby carnival in late February proved disastrous only in the race placing that day.

The exercise can pay large dividends in tomorrow's $100,000 Valachi Downs Championship Stakes on the track.

Werther finished last in that February race, but he now has experience of right-handed racing and just as important, Ellerslie experience.

Rider Rosie Myers told stewards after that earlier race that Werther was unsuited by the slow pace and could not recover late in the race.

Werther's form in two starts since has been excellent, a runaway R65 victory followed by a handy second to Exquisite Jewel in stakes class at Awapuni. The 2100m will be no threat to Werther, but the wide barrier will be no help. He has Opie Bosson to help overcome that.

Redeem Code was fourth in that Exquisite Jewel race, which was a sound effort given the work she had to do early from a wide gate. She sat parked for a while, took the lead before the home turn and it was no surprise she was outgunned late.

From a much better barrier this time she can be right in this finish.

Few young horses manage to win four of their first seven starts and Stolen Dance has looked good putting that record together. She displayed real grit to get the job done narrowly at Ellerslie last start and if the track is reasonable she will be competitive.

Dee I Cee probably ran better than the effort looks on paper when sixth in the Exquisite Jewel race last start. He is right in this and if the favourites are rolled there are a multitude of chances.

The regally bred Sopraffina has a bright staying future, but in the meantime another bold showing is expected of the filly at Dargaville today.

The grand-daughter of champion mare Ethereal won first time out at Rotorua last month and will appreciate a further step up in trip in the Dargaville Museum Hcp.

"The further she goes the better she will be and you wouldn't expect the 1850m to be worrying her at all," said Steven Ramsay, who trains the 3-year-old with partner Julia Ritchie.

"She's by High Chaparral and she will be better as a 4- and 5-year-old, but she showed a bit earlier on and she's improved panels since then.

"She's beautifully bred and an overnight trip away will be good experience for her. She's done well since her first run and we'd expect a bit of her."

- additional reporting, NZ Racing Desk