KEY POINTS:
Trainer Dave Haworth has only one problem heading into tomorrow's $350,000 Century City Wellington Cup with Willy Smith and The Foreman.
He'd like their barrier draws to be reversed.
The Foreman, as a go-forward horse, looks disadvantaged from the No 17 barrier and Willy Smith, as a back runner, could be equally undermined by his No 2 gate.
"I'm very happy with both horses, but I am concerned about the barriers," Haworth said.
"The Foreman has to get across and get in for a run that won't see him cover too much extra ground and Willy Smith has to get himself into a position where he can sprint from somewhere near the 800m when he needs to.
"Riding tactics will determine this result."
Which puts a fair amount of pressure on Haworth's jockeys Hayden Tinsley (Willy Smith) and Leith Innes on The Foreman.
But they're used to that.
Willy Smith won this race two years ago when it was 3200m.
He has had his problems since, but they look well behind him and his lead-up 2224 formline this preparation has been impressive.
The only performance that seemed marginally below par was his even fourth in last week's Trentham Stakes behind 3-year-old Court Ruler.
But that's not a performance that concerns his trainer.
"He gave those two 3-year-olds that finished in front of him a huge amount of weight. When he went up and around them from the 700m they sprinted on the corner and he was a bit flat-footed.
"To be fair to him I thought he was fairly strong in the final part of the race.
"I was more than happy with it as a Wellington Cup trial."
John Sargent is concerned that last year's winner Young Centaur has drawn only two gates inside The Foreman.
But he's pleased with pleased with the horse's form as he defends his title - a close second to Hoorang in the New Zealand Cup followed by a third to Lovetrista in the Waikato Cup and third to Six O'Clock News in the City Of Auckland Cup.
Michael Walker, who won the race on the Matamata stayer last year, is back in the saddle.
Horses can make liars of you.
Hoorang battled away for a couple of seasons like a horse that seemed unlikely to ever go too far.
But four of the eight races she has won from her 31 starts have been in her last six appearances and they include the 3200m New Zealand Cup three starts back.
Not all horses come out of a 3200m preparation in their best shape, but Hoorang showed she had when she tidied them up again at Awapuni on January 10 for veteran owner and trainer Ian Shaw.
Hoorang and Young Centaur carry identical weights to what they carried in the New Zealand Cup and Hoorang has won two races and Young Centaur is winless since those weights were framed.
She might be one of those horses that simply gets better and better with time.
The term an even field is an overworked description, but this line-up fits the bill.
You'd back away if someone asked you to stake your life on one runner that couldn't win in the first 15 in the field.
Prince Kaapstad can, particularly from a handy draw. He likes to race handy and can kick hard late in his races.
Castle Heights looked good coming through the grades and wasn't overawed when finishing fourth to Six O'Clock News in his first open class race after sitting wide.
Overkaast is possibly New Zealand's most underrated stayer.
She was narrowly beaten in the Avondale Cup 13 months ago and was only a long neck and a nose from Gallions Reach in the group one Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on January 1.
And there is an aura of confidence in the Moroney stable that Tinseltown can do what he did to his Avondale Cup rivals - sweep past them all to win easily.
He was subsequently only sixth in Six O'Clock News' City Of Auckland Cup, but it wasn't the worst run in the race and he has been set for the race over his favourite distance.
"We are absolutely thrilled with him. His work has been right up to the mark, he is as well as we get him and he has a good barrier draw," Paul Moroney said yesterday.
"Michael Coleman rode him in his work on Tuesday and gave us the big thumbs up."
Coleman and Moroney are attempting to win their second Wellington Cup, after Second Coming's success in 2000.
WIDE WORRIES
* Dave Howarth holds a strong position with Willy Smith and The Foreman engaged.
* But Haworth would love the two horses' draws to be reversed.
* Last year's winner Young Centaur has also drawn wide.
* The field is full of value runners.
