You would love to know what time One Under ran her last 300m in at Te Rapa.
Saturday's most impressive winner dashed past Volkaire in the last 175m like a horse being set for two of the richest races in Australia next year.
Roger James said yesterday the Doncaster Handicap and Cox Plate were possibilities - Saturday proved she was good enough for both.
James said American owners John and Anne Kunkel got so carried away with the atmosphere on Cox Plate day on their way to New Zealand to purchase One Under, once the deal was settled they asked James if he could please set One Under for next October's Cox Plate.
"Sunline might still be around to get in our way, but who knows where she might end up."
The $150,000 Highview Stud Trophy at Ellerslie on January 2 and the Thorndon Mile at Trentham are One Under's immedtate targets.
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Amazing the things that stick in your craw.
You would imagine Frank Ritchie has a room full of cups won on the racetrack.
Unbelievably, he has never won a cup in New Zealand.
"It was really starting to get to me," said Richie in surprising vein after Bluebird The Word left the opposition behind in Saturday's $100,000 Waikato Times Gold Cup at Te Rapa.
Which would surprise most when you consider the Ritchie stable has won three Derbys and Bonecrusher alone won eight group one races.
"I was gutted when Bluebird The Word was beaten in a photo finish in the Counties Cup a few weeks back," said Ritchie.
"I thought I was never destined to win a major cup at home."
Winning Cox Plates and AJC Derbies and a list of weight-for-age races is not everything. The only cup Ritchie has won is the 1980 Manion Cup at Rosehill in Sydney with Shahman.
"That's why it hurt a lot when Showella went amiss in Australia heading for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups."
Enter Bluebird The Word's senior owner Butch Glover, whose exterior masks one of the kindest hearts in the business.
Over Sarturday night's celebratory drinks at Glover's South Auckland home he presented Frank Ritchie with the magnificent gold cup.
Trainers only ever win cups for their owners, Ritchie suddenly had one of his own.
Which made the Takanini trainer feel guilty. Bluebird The Word is no breeze to train and at the birdcage presentation Ritchie paid tributre to the work and care son and training partner Craig and devoted attendant Robyn Peters contributed to the work.
Bluebird The Word was not nominated for the $350,000 Westbury Stud Auckland Cup.
"He's tried 3200m three times and failed and we felt he wouldn't get the distance, but the way he's racing right now I'm not entirely sure that was the right decision."
He'll be nominated for the Queen Elizabeth and the $150,000 The Oaks Stud Classic on January 2.
"Weight-for-age racing might be his go from now on, he's going to get plenty of weight in the handicaps."
Craig Ritchie was pleased.
"For the last four years all I've heard is: "We haven't won a cup."
"That'll stop now."
The Ritchies' training performance was matched by a gem of a ride from Michael Walker.
The 16-year-old had just stepped off a picture perfect exibition to land hot favourirte Starina home in the previous race and put Bluebird The Word in a winning position before the first bend.
Through no fault of his previous riders Greg Childs and Mark Du Plessis, Bluebird The Word had had no luck. This time it all came together.
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If Edberg doesn't win a decent race this summer Mark Du Plessis will be scratching his head.
Through a family tie he had to ride Edberg at Tauranga a few weeks back and was beaten in the last stride by another regular ride Cervant.
Edberg prevented Du Plessis riding Bluebird The Word on Saturday.
His turn must be coming soon.
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Peter Johnson believes Giovana can win a major 3200m cup.
If owner and trainer Carol Marshall continues with her plans the mare may not get the chance - Marshall wants to retire her to stud at the end of this season.
Giovana's eclipse of Star Satire in the closing stages of Saturday's $40,000 Gasmate Stakes surprised Johnson.
"I didn't think she was ready to do that," he said.
In which case there are a couple of more big wins on the way for Giovana.
Don't drop Star Satire for the Eight Carat Classic at Ellerslie for that defeat.
Racing: Impressive One Under may be aimed at Cox
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