Racing: It's time for Mickey

Tony Pike reckons it's his turn.

The Cambridge co-trainer of Taking The Mickey can't be blamed if he believes he can win tomorrow's $30,000 Stella Artois 1600m at Tauranga.

Taking The Mickey has only to produce a similar effort to those he threw in at his two previous starts this campaign to go close to proving his co-trainer right.

"How's his luck?" said Pike yesterday. "Fresh up he met Jacowils on one of his best days and last start he got run down late by Ginga Dude.

"The worst of it was, because of the apprentice allowance on Ginga Dude he had to give him 1kg."

The two winning margins were a long neck and a long head, underscoring the point that this should be Taking The Mickey's turn.

The horse's last win was a year ago when he won the $60,000 Winning Edge Championship Final at Tauranga, the scene of both his two previous runs this preparation.

He looks nicely placed with 54.5kg and will be ridden by Craig Grylls.

The absence of Ginga Dude and Jacowils does not mean there are few chances in the race.

Prized Touch, Irish Opera and Figure Of Speech are all capable.

Last time out, Irish Opera finished second after a lengthy struggle to Prince Kaapstad in the $200,000 Easter Handicap at Ellerslie and before that pushed Ginga Dude close on the same track, both races being over this 1600m distance.

Figure Of Speech is widely regarded as a winter stayer and his second-last victory was in the 2007 Taumarunui Cup over 2100m.

But his most recent win was at 1600m at Hastings in November when he narrowly beat Willie Smith.

Figure Of Speech loves the Tauranga track and with a recent sprint run to sharpen him, could be a surprise.

Prized Touch is another in the same category. His last win was over 2400m at Ellerslie in February last year, but he was coming off wins at 1800m and 1600m at Riccarton.

He can run a solid 1600m, particularly while on the fresh side after just one run back from a break.

That run resulted in a fourth, 3.8 lengths away in that Ginga Dude race at Tauranga in which Taking The Mickey was a close second. He should be greatly improved for that outing.

WIN OVERDUE
* Consistent Cambridge galloper Taking the Mickey gets his chance for an overdue win in tomorrow's Stella Artois 1600 at Tauranga.
* Irish Opera, placed in the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie last start, is also nearing another victory.