By MIKE DILLON
The Kiwis stand out in the Sydney Cup today.
In terms of class it's Giovana first, the rest nowhere and while racing almost never works out on that basis, particularly in major 3200m events, it will be a surprise if the Waikato mare is beaten without an excuse.
There has been nothing wrong with Giovana's weight-for-age form in New Zealand, Melbourne and Sydney.
This time she meets a field way down on the group one class she had been facing.
Don't rule Auckland Cup winner Our Unicorn out of trifecta contention.
That is despite his missing the money at Ellerslie last Saturday. That run was a lot better than it looked under clear topweight of 58kg and the distance this time is going to suit perfectly.
San Luis is going to just love the 1600m of the $A500,000 Champagne Stakes today.
The Sydney juveniles are overall generally too smart for the New Zealanders, but it is fair to say that by this stage of the autumn most of the Sydney youngsters are coming to the end of their preparation and starting to feel the pinch.
San Luis, however, is really just about to reach his best.
It is a tough ask for a 2-year-old to race in group one class at Ellerslie last Saturday and back up in Sydney a week later, but San Luis is such a relaxed customer he can probably manage.
At Te Rapa Country Rose (No2, R7) looks good each-way value in the $70,000 Travis Stakes despite being beaten favourite in the Jaguar Easter last start.
She prefers this left-handed way of racing and particularly the Te Rapa circuit and this looks a nice race for her. The value runners are Grovana (No3) and Regency (No12).
It should be a great contest between class filly Butterscotch (No7, R6) and rapid improver Sound The Alarm (No2). Trainer Richard Otto has long held Sound The Alarm in very high regard and is aiming him at the group one Stradbroke in Brisbane, but it will still not be easy for him to topple such a foolproof type as Butterscotch. Sound The Alarm could not have been more impressive winning by a wide margin at Ellerslie at Easter and Otto was adamant there was considerable improvement in him. The quinella might not be flash, but it might be the wisest.
Explosive (No2, R2) got well rolled in the group one Sires Produce at Manawatu last start, but will find the class this time well down on that. Her previous form had been smart including a nice second to Damaschino at Tauranga. With several stylish trials performers making dabuts, the race might be a bit tricky from a trifecta perspective.
Spirit Of The Nite (No1, R5) is a bit better than her overall form reads. She had little luck in most of the major fillies' races and seems to be only now becoming solid, despite a pretty busy schedule. The level weights 2000m is ideal for her. She faces a very promising improver in Komplete Kaos (No2), who won with authority at Ellerslie last start, albeit in easier class than this.
King Keitel (No2, R8) faces some smart sprinters when he resumes over 1400m, but he has a record both at the distance and fresh-up; to suggest he is in with a shout. He may not be the best bred horse in the race, but he has aristocratic ability and is likely to be finishing hard at te leaders in the closing stages. If last year's winner Zapeace (No1) finds any give in the track at all, she will be the major chance, along with Kasman (No11), who is nicely weighted in 53.5kg, and Volkaire (No3).
If Bel Air wins the Hawkes Bay Cup this afternoon, then you'd like to be on Likely Story (No4, R10) in the last at Te Rapa. Likely Story pushed Bel Air hard in the HIH Classic at Ellerslie last start and has improved with the race. There is a smart type in Citi Habit (No6) to beat. Citi Habit has plenty of ability and did not get the best of runs before flashing home late into second at Ellerslie. He is probably going to be better suited by the left-handed track this time.
Racing: Kiwis lead Sydney Cup
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