Opie believes Indikator is a wonderful jumper.
And so does his rider, another jumping star, Craig Thornton.
It will be fascinating to see what he does.
Heaven forbid this column is suggesting a bet in a race for amateur riders. Once again ... it's that sort of day. You may as well go for a price in a race like that and you can probably do worse than Stagehand (No3, R2). His last two runs have been disappointing for sure, but he is more than capable in a field such as this and young Jacob McKay rides well.
The maiden steeplechase, Race 3, is hardly an attractive affair, but Authentic (No1), who will probably start favourite, deserves a win.
The maiden hurdle race, Race 4, the $40,000 Tony Richards Toyota Hurdles, is tricky. You have to ask if the two guns Sea King (No1) and Yamanaura (No2) can win with 70kg joint topweight. Statistically, you have to say it's going to be extremely tough for them.
Perhaps better chances might be King's Deep (No11) and Brer (No9), both real up and comers in the hurdling department. This is a step up for both horses, but each has displayed top class potential.
King's Deep has looked strong at the end of his three hurdle races.
Just Got Home (No1, R5) goes up a grade from his win at Pukekohe and rises in weight as well, which is a strange combination, but he's good enough and strong enough to cope. He was impressive at Pukekohe and this is hardly a field full of stars. He should go close again.
The $40,000 Pakuranga Hunt Cup will be a great spectacle as usual, but as a betting medium it doesn't rate as highly. You can take the shortish odds on Grand National winner El Patron (No3, R6), but trainer John Wheeler warns he might be just short enough after easing his training for a few days after Riccarton. Where do you go if you flag him? Perhaps old Cape Kinaveral (No2). Good luck with the race - we'll be watching it for pointers towards the upcoming Great Northern.
If Race 7 was 1400m you could probably unload on Fastfoot (No2), but the 1200m makes it slightly more difficult. He's won back-to-back 1400ms with ease and perhaps the rain this week has made the Ellerslie track so testing this will seem more like a 1400m. Twilight Dragon (No8) was very stylish winning a grade down from this last start by a margin and will again have a big weight advantage. Interesting race, especially with underrated fresh-up specialist Happytokeepa (No1) at the top of the handicap to keep them honest.
The last, Race 8, is tricky. Matost (No3) might be frustrating through seemingly requiring the footing to be exactly to his liking, but he's very smart when he gets it.
You cannot leave him out of any of the multiple bets and he can easily win this.
Sarsarun (No7) wasn't ideally suited at Pukekohe last start and could insert value into multiple bets.
At New Plymouth, Pencuri (No11, R7) looks the go in the $50,000 ITM Interprovincial. He has been building to a victory like this and his trip and two races at Riccarton will have him rock hard.
Regardless of their form at home, New Zealand horses are never considered in major Australian races when they first arrive. Veyron is at $26 in today's A$175,000 ($202,000) Warwick Stakes in Sydney.
Not bad considering he's 5 from 6 at the 1400m distance, not that he often met something as good as the $2 favourite Rain Affair. Veyron has drawn ideally at No2 and will probably get the ideal trail behind Rain Affair, a natural leader. He's worth an each-way.
