Racing: Heavy ground a worry

Peter Williams will produce possibly the most expensive yearling bought for South Island racing when Al Farouk lines up at Riccarton tomorrow.

But he is not expecting a miracle.

Al Farouk, by Cape Cross, cost Dave Aitken - who also races The Raj out of the stable - over $90,000, not out of the way on national sale averages these days but notable when the horse could do a lot of his racing in the South Island.

"I liked him in the ring and I have liked him more and more since. He is a classy horse. The ground is the worry," Williams said.

Williams has taken the patient road with Al Farouk, turning him out in the spring when he showed serious potential in a trials outing after he came up with bucked shins.

Another Aitken-owned runner making his debut, Centarvo, should handle the heavy footing.

"He won well at the trials. I have been waiting on wetter tracks for him."

- NZPA