Racing: Great contest at Te Rapa

Class youngsters Ugo Foscolo and Memories Only won that day despite the conditions, not because of them. Photo / Race Images

Normally you would totally disregard winning 2-year-old form coming from the diabolical Rotorua mud of April 16.

But class youngsters Ugo Foscolo and Memories Only won that day despite the conditions, not because of them.

Both were on debut after serious barrier trial form and the pair meet in tomorrow's $50,000 Hamilton Vets Equine Stakes at Te Rapa.

It should be a great contest with a few other recent winners chipping at their heels.

Ugo Foscolo won his three barrier trials in a manner suggesting he would quickly graduate to the top rung of the ladder.

He was struggling from the time Danielle Johnson let his head go at the top of the Rotorua home straight on debut, but with sheer class he stuck to his task and despite being unbalanced got the money by three and a quarter lengths.

It is frightening to think what he might have won by on a decent track.

Leading up to raceday the Memories Only camp was very confident he would win at Rotorua given reasonable conditions, but Linda Laing had her heart in her throat the whole way as the youngster fought bravely through the mud to hold out Onstage by a long head with five and a half lengths back to the rest.

Chancery will sign off his current campaign in the opener at Pukekohe Park today.

The Moira Murdoch-trained three-year-old is then booked in for surgery after a proposed sale to Hong Kong interests fell through.

"He failed the vet with a chip in his knee - it has never been an issue whatsoever and was only found when he was vetted," said Haunui Farm breeder-owner Mark Chitty.

Success at today's Counties meeting will keep a Derby dream alive for Street Smart.

The three-year-old son of Shocking also tackles race 1, the Pukekohe Park 2100.

"He's very well, but he does need to win this if he is going to go over to Brisbane," trainer Shaune Ritchie said.

- Additional reporting: NZ Racing Desk