The Waikato Hurdles - at 11.05am thank you - is going to be a great contest. The winner here two weeks ago, Prologue, (No6, R2) is tough again, but look for an improved effort from Venerate (No3), who was the beaten favourite behind him that day. He looked as though there was physical improvement in him and should be more difficult to keep out this time. Just Got Home (No1) has a tough job with 69kg topweight, but he has winter class on his side.
Race 3 is probably going around with just six runners, but it's the most confusing race on the day. Aaja Nachle (No5) can improve dramatically on her first-up Ellerslie effort and has the advantage of being a winner on the course. Elusive Gold (No1) will be favourite and the one to beat, but the 59kg will not make it easy.
It's A Message (No2, R4) was placed at his only steeplechase start and rates highly here in a maiden chase. Richard Cully knows his way around. Fair Script (No1) and Joking (No4) are dangers.
The $50,000 Waikato Steeples should be a great contest between the two favourites Sea King (No4, R5) and Carinya (No6). The four wins from five steeplechase starts marks Carinya as a quality jumper, but she has yet to face one as experienced and as tough as Sea King. Sea King has had only one steeplechase start, and that was over smaller Australian fences, but that's unlikely to stop him here. He might just be too good, despite being a difficult horse to train and ride.
The No 1 barrier is probably not ideal for Augusta National (No9, R6), but she rates highly on the 54kg minimum. Her form, including a runaway Te Rapa victory, has been terrific. Taaxman (No5) is not far off a win and Lion Red (No3) needs respect.
Spin Doctor (No1, R7) is a real Te Rapa course specialist and had no luck when fourth behind Barbaric here last start. Provided he gets a reasonable run through the field from the 400m he should be very difficult to keep out with an apprentice allowance bringing him down to 57kg. Look to Kelly O'Reilly (No5) to produce a much better effort than her first-up sixth here last start.
Irish Moon (No8) and Irish Heartbeat (No7) strengthen a very useful field.
Saoirse (No8, R8) has real talent. She has shown she likes this track and don't be surprised if she stays unbeaten at Te Rapa. In a very talented field, Trojan Warrior (No3) produced a stunning finish to come from near last and win here last start and Harbour Star (No2) and Ocean Emperor (No5) have strong claims.
Snapshot (No5, R9) is unbeaten and has been winning with a bit to spare. He is headed for the best classes. Alleyoop (No2) is dropping back in class and with Brendan Hutton's 2kg allowance will carry 56.5kg. Her last-start second to Sancere on this track was very good.
Increditable Hulk (No8) is close to a win.
• Tony Pike can end a frustrating Queensland campaign at the Sunshine Coast meeting today. The Cambridge trainer was still kicking himself late this week after an oversight saw him miss entering Sacred Star for Saturday week's A$750,000 Doomben 10,000, meaning a A$22,500 late entry free needs to be made.
He has the classy Allez Eagle in the Glasshouse Handicap today and is looking to pick up a consolation for the owners.
"This has been an expensive lesson," said Pike, who can still smile because of the terrific form he believes he has Allez Eagle in.
Class rider Damien Browne has been engaged for stablemate Huka Eagle in the A$65,000 Mooloolaba 3YO. Huka Eagle was just too fresh when he faded late in the Gold Coast Guineas at his Australian debut.
"He'd done too well and he raced keenly. He's improved since then, the 1000m here will suit him and this is a drop back in class."
• New Zealand may not have an official runner at Singapore's huge international meeting, but we can claim the hot favourite for tomorrow's KrisFlyer Sprint, Aerovelocity.
He is such a raging favourite, $1.70 is the best price available for one of the world's premier 1200m sprint races.
Aerovelocity began his career from Andrew Scott's stable at Matamata. He had only one New Zealand race when, as Naisoso Warrior, he scored a ridiculously easy maiden victory at Awapuni on Anzac Day 2012.
So easy was the victory, at a tote price of $2.30, racecaller Tony Lee said in his call: "They should call the coppers, they've stolen this."
The Pins gelding was sold to Hong Kong where, under Paul O'Sullivan, he has elevated himself to be considered the world's finest sprinter.
As Aerovelocity he won the Hong Kong Sprint in December then took the extremely difficult option of taking on the group one Takamatsunomiya Kinen in Japan, taking the race with a remarkable 1:8.5 1200m timing.
His earnings are close to US$3.4 million ($4.55 million).
The KrisFlyer might look cut and dried, but the other feature, the S$3 million ($3.04 million) International Cup, has three horses sharing favouritism. Military Attack, Dan Excel and Meiner Frost are sharing the spotlight at around $3.20 each.
• Matamata jockey Matthew Cameron might be locked in a tight battle for the jockeys' premiership at home, but he couldn't pass up an opportunity to ride a form runner in a group three in Queensland this weekend.
Cameron will partner the Shaune Ritchie-trained Redeem Code in the Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) today and has also picked up the ride on last-start winner Banda Spice in the Bruce McLachlan Memorial Classic (1200m) for 2-year-olds.
While Cameron has previously ridden in Sydney - about seven years ago - he is making his debut in Queensland.
"I've been locked in these premiership battles for the past three or four years, but when this opportunity came up I was keen to take it," he said.
"It's going to do me a world of good to do something different - to get away - and I'm really looking forward to riding over there. The Hong Kong owner was keen to have me and he's paying my way so it's a great opportunity for me." Cameron has ridden Nadeem gelding Redeem Code in four starts for two wins.
The mount on Banda Spice came about through Cameron's association with former Cambridge trainer Paul Duncan, who is based in Queensland.
Jockeys' best
A selection of New Zealand's leading jockeys offer their best rides for the weekend and, where applicable, last week's result.
Opie Bosson: Galaktika — Te Rapa (R11).
Darryl Bradley: Twilight Doll — Awapuni (R4). (Platinum Witness — 2nd).
Sam Collett: Light Up A Screen — Te Rapa (R10). (Divergent — 4th).
Craig Grylls: Snapshot — Te Rapa (R9).
Danielle Johnson: Saoirse — Te Rapa (R8). (Eternity — unplaced).
Rosie Myers: The Conductor — Awapuni (R1).
Josh Oliver: Taurus — Awapuni (R8).
Johnathon Parkes: Thorn Prince — Awapuni (R8). (Martiniz Special — 2nd).
Sam Spratt: Dennis Denuto — Te Rapa (R8).
- Additional reporting NZ Racing Desk
