Racing: Knock-out blow would help

Expect to see a more immediate response from blue-blood colt Maciano when Leith Innes presses the button at Te Rapa tomorrow.

The pair's hopes of winning the $2.2 million New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie in a month could hinge on it.

With just $9300 in purses so far, the $1.45 million yearling, by Redoute's Choice out of 1993 Derby winner Popsy, is languishing 41st in the entry order for the March 6 feature.

Matamata trainer John Sargent is banking on the addition of blinkers in the $70,000 HS Dyke Waikato Guineas (2000m) as the key to leap-frogging up the rankings.

Innes ordered the hood for the TAB's early $10 fixed-odds Derby fancy after the good-looker took an eternity to get his mind on the job when chasing Guineas rival No Fear home at Ellerslie over 1600m on January 16.

The pair looked likely to just battle into fifth spot with 300m to go after enjoying the perfect trip in transit.

But with 100m remaining Maciano switched gears and powered home faster than any rival.

"The blinkers should enable Leith to kick on when he wants to go quicker - it's an immaturity thing more than anything," said Sargent.

The Matamata trainer, an under-bidder on Maciano's three-quarter brother by Fastnet Rock which sold for $1 million at Karaka on Monday, said his Derby hope had trained on a treat since his last appearance.

The step up to 2000m tomorrow is also idea at this stage of his preparation, said Sargent.

He just wasn't expecting such a strong group three test for the colt's middle-distance debut.

"This is the best Guineas field I've seen; it's a Derby line-up, but we should be able to get a good line on him to see where we are," he said.

"If he wins we'll go straight into the Derby - he's an English type of stayer; he doesn't need much racing.

"If not, we'll run him in the Championship Stakes at Ellerslie in a fortnight. That still leaves us two weeks to the Derby."

The first four home at Ellerslie on February 20 over 2100m are exempt from the Derby ballot.

Sargent's Wellington Cup winner Red Ruler was a winner of the same group two race two years ago.

If there is a chink in Maciano's armour, concedes Sargent, it's that like many 3-year-olds at this time of the year, he's still six months or so away from physical maturity.

"But he's got that much ability he can rise to the occasion."

Sargent can also scratch off at least two early Derby rivals for Maciano - stablemates St Germaine and Mr Thorpedo.

He expects the latter to be tough to beat in his R70 assignment at Avondale today.

But Sargent said he's run out of time to get him ready for the country's premiere 2400m event.

"I did also have the option of running him in the Guineas at Te Rapa but we're a bit behind the eight-ball with him," said Sargent.

"If he wins tomorrow [Friday] we'll more than likely run in the Championship Stakes.

"If he looks up to 3-year-old company there we could look at taking him to Queensland."

Sargent said St Germaine, who resumes at Te Rapa tomorrow over 1200m, had also fallen out of Derby contention since pulling up sore in the Eight Carat Stakes on Boxing Day.

"She pulled a shoe that day and felt it," said Sargent. "We gave her three weeks out and she's still very fat but she should still be hard to beat after two gallops - she's got a lot of class."

It could be another filly, however, who spoils Maciano's preferred route to the Derby tomorrow.

After her brilliant win in the Great Northern Guineas (2100m) on Boxing Day, the Mark Walker-trained Zabeel filly Zarzuela is going to be tough to hold out. She's drawn wide again, but dropping out early seems to suit her preferred racing style of storming home late.

* Te Horo Beach, north of Wellington, trainer John Kiernan loaded Hurrah on the float knowing he's got him as fit as he can.

There's just one little unknown stopping him from getting over-confident about a fairytale comeback for the former headliner at Te Rapa tomorrow.

The 8-year-old's attitude.

"If those light-weighted horses have him on, he can throw the towel in a bit - he's bit of a thinker," said Kiernan.

"He's got rubber lined plates on now and the beach training means we can get him ready without jarring up.

"But with the horse being a bit of a sook, he's always waiting for something like that."

Although the horse's long-running feet problems are always a concern, Kiernan, however, is taking heart from Hurrah's last start performance when third in the Trentham Stakes (2100m) to Red Ruler.

Kiernan, who picked up the reins when the gelding was sacked by Sydney trainer Chris Waller at the end of 2008, said that was the first time he'd seen the horse show any fight on a rain-affected surface.

He drops to a relative feather-weight of 55.5kg for the SkyCity Hamilton Casino Cup tomorrow, jumps from the coveted inside alley, and again has the services of Jonathan Riddell.

"I have my fingers crossed that he'll go a nice bold race again," said Kiernan.

"If he does we could be back for the weight-for-age race the following week."

The Darci Brahma International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 13 is also the likely target for Hurrah's toughest rival tomorrow, Veloce Bella.

An unlucky third on both days of the carnival last year, the 6-year-old mare looked back to her best when storming home late to win at Tauranga over 1600m on January 9.