Racing: Going out on winning note would be so sweet for Sideto

Today's New Zealand Herald 2100, originally the Summer Cup and the Nathan's Memorial, has traditionally been a career stepping-stone race, generally to the Auckland Cup.

For Sideto Emdeca it is the end of the road.

The feature race at Ellerslie today will be the final racetrack appearance for Sideto Emdeca who is in foal to One Cool Cat and who will be retired to the broodmare's paddock immediately after the race.

Going out on a winning note, particularly in a carnival race, is the perfect bookend.

And that romantic notion is a big chance, despite the fact that the classy Pukekohe mare finished only ninth behind All Square in the Manawatu Cup.

It had been hoped to keep Sideto Emdeca racing through to Sunday's $200,000 City Of Auckland Cup, but co-trainer Richard Collett had made the decision that the 2400m of the race is too far for the mare.

He believes that is one of the reasons - but only one - that Sideto Emdeca failed in the 2300m Manawatu Cup.

"She doesn't go past 2100m and this [today's] distance is going to suit her," said Collett.

Sideto Emdeca had not raced for three weeks when she lined up at Manawatu and Collett knew as he saddled the mare that he might be in trouble.

"She looked above herself in the birdcage and raced accordingly."

Sideto Emdeca generally settles well in her races, but when rider Grant Cooksley attempted to move her past a couple of horses early in search of the perfect spot from a wide barrier, the mare refused to settle.

As a result she had nothing left late in the race.

"She's normally very professional in her races," says Collett.

Collett is happy Sideto Emdeca is in the best possible condition for her farewell appearance.

"She has been far more settled in her work since Manawatu.

"She will go into the race very competitive."

Cooksley has retained the ride.

The 2kg Sideto Emdeca receives off topweight Viz Vitae will be valuable.

Viz Vitae is coming off an abortive Melbourne spring campaign in which he failed completely to find the form we know he is capable of.

Based on his New Zealand form in the early spring Viz Vitae looked capable of taking a very decent Melbourne carnival race, but he did not fill a place in a handful of starts.

Naturally very placid, he became upset even before the start of his Australian debut at Moonee Valley and raced accordingly.

Things continued to go wrong when he had to be pulled up when Greg Childs' saddle slipped in the Moonee Valley Cup, then he raced well below his best when 8.2 lengths away in eighth place behind Our Smoking Joe in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington in his final Australian starts.

Trainer Murray Baker is happy with Viz Vitae since his return.

He late scratched him at Te Rapa when the track became rain-affected. The footing should be perfect today and Baker will offer few excuses for the horse if he fails to find something like his best.

"He's well, he's had a barrier trial and I'm hoping he shows his true form.

"If he does he will run in the City Of Auckland Cup on Sunday."

Leith Innes is in the saddle today and has been booked for the Cup.

Roger James says he wants to see something from the Kylie Bax-owned Aeroforce One today.

"I brought him into work with a sole purpose in mind - to get him into the Wellington Cup with as little weight as possible on his back.

"His latest runs haven't been bad, but it's time for him to see something.

"I've put blinkers on him because I felt last start he was in a position to do a fraction better than he did. Okay, it was tight where he was, but I had a little bit of a question mark.

"You could say I'm experimenting really."

Sing In The Sun has done a good job since switching to middle distance racing and is in the trifecta mix.