Racing: Hoarse from yelling his horse to victory

If you fancy share-milking in Taranaki next Saturday, then Brendon Dravitzki urgently wants to hear from you.

While trainer and wife Sandy put the Grand National polish on I'manace in the Ken Browne Memorial Steeples at Riccarton at the weekend, part-owner Dravitzki was stuck at home in their milking shed.

But yesterday, his throat so hoarse from yelling the horse to victory on Trackside he could barely talk, Dravitzki reckoned he should start making plans to be in Christchurch this weekend.

"I'm going to have to try and get down there now aren't I," croaked Dravitzki as he enjoyed a one-part celebratory, one-part medicinal rum.

"That was a huge thrill to win such a prestigious race and I think he's going to be just as hard to beat in the National."

While most pundits overlooked the recent maiden graduate at the weekend - I'manace was the outsider bar two - Dravitzki had the $21 fixed odds ticket to prove he knew better.

"We were never too worried about him being down there," said Dravitzki, who has also punted I'manace to win the National at $25.

"We felt that if he was 100 per cent and No Hero was 90 per cent, then we'd give the field a bit of a shake.

"Take out Repete, who is a very capable jumper, from his last race and there was 30 lengths back to the third horse that day."

An 18-month lay-off recovering from a tendon injury has kept I'manace from chasing until now.

Saturday's race was just the 10-year-old's third over the bigger fences for the Dravitzkis and co-owners Tony Dravitzki and long-time family friends Bruce and Dawn Ekdahl.

In 12 hurdle attempts I'manace failed to win but placed six times, including a second to Van Winkle.

"After such a long lay-off he's just needed time to build-up his fitness again," said Dravitzki.

Safely through the National, in which I'manace is now an early third-equal $6 favourite behind No Hero ($2.50) and Bogeyman ($3.50), Dravitzki said I'manace could also tackle the Great Northern chase at Ellerslie on September 9.

Jonathan Riddell though is confident that No Hero can still spoil the Dravitzkis' Riccarton party.

If the defending National champ hadn't bungled a fence near the 1200m Riddell said the margin would have been a lot closer.

"It took a bit for him to find his feet again after that but it was still a nice run," said Riddell.

"The only thing he didn't do was win - he's definitely back on track."

Riddell rates Bogeyman, a horse he rode to win last time out, as the toughest to beat in the National.

Meanwhile, a red-hot Lisa Latta seriously doubts her Winter Cup winner Mikki Street will return for the Winter Classic (2000m), the feature flat race at Riccarton the same day.

Latta, who won her first raceday hat-trick on Saturday with Mikki Street, Platinum Elle and Ben Hogan, is instead looking ahead to the Merial Metric Mile at Awapuni on September 16.

"We may also look at the Stoney Bridge at Hastings a week after that but we'll just see what the weather does," said Latta yesterday.

"He is versatile but just needs the fire out of the tracks to show his best."

For Latta winning the group three Winter Cup, a race she'd targeted since April, more than made up for some wretched luck on the horse's last trip to Riccarton.

Four starts back she had Mikki Street set for the Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) but rider and partner Bruce Herd couldn't find a clear run in the straight.

The pair finished full of running in seventh place, just three lengths from winner Balmuse, who ironically struck some major interference himself on Saturday.

Rider David Walker was adamant that fifth-placed Balmuse would have won the Winter Cup if runner-up Delbrae had run straight inside the final 100m.

Delbrae was later relegated to third behind outsider Eye of Horus.

"I've been hammered three times in the straight and Delbrae moves out about six horse widths and holds third.

"I don't know how the rules allow that," said Walker.

Aside from a few anxious moments racing in cramped quarters across the top, Herd said everything fell into place for Mikki Street on the way to his fifth win from just 22 starts.

While Mikki Street now returns home to Awapuni, Latta said his winning stablemates Platinum Elle and Ben Hogan are now likely to back up at Riccarton on Saturday.

She's also considering giving promising maiden What Happened a chance to redeem himself on the carnival's second day on Wednesday.

Latta said What Happened had no luck in the running when a beaten favourite in a maiden 1400m event on Saturday. She said punters should stick with the Stark South five-year-old next time he lines up.