By MIKE DILLON
Three additional runners to the original five nominations means there is at least the chance of seeing a genuine pacemaker for Saturday's $A1million Mercedes Classic at Rosehill.
And that would be great news for the camps of Kiwi stars Showella and Rebel.
Both were greatly inconven- ienced by the lack of pace in the $A400,000 Ranvet Stakes, in which Showella was forced to lead for the first time in her career.
Canterbury Cup winner Edward Brae, Mighty Pedrille and Bart Cummings' classy 3-year-old Cloth Of Gold yesterday joined the original list of the Kiwi pair, Tie The Knot, Arena and Streak.
"We still don't know if there will be any real pace on, but there's at least more of a chance now," said Showella's trainer Frank Ritchie, who is desperate for his mare not to lead again.
Fellow Takanini trainer Stephen McKee says the pattern is right for Gascoigne to perform well in today's Hamilton Cup in Victoria.
"It's his second run from a spell and usually he wins his second-up race," said co-trainer Stephen Mc- Kee yesterday.
"The only difference is this time it's 2200m on a testing track and usually he races over 2000m at his second start.
"But he's very well and his first-up run behind The Message at Ellerslie was excellent."
Linda Ballantyne, who has a good record on Gascoigne, has flown to Melbourne to take the ride. Trevor McKee flew out on Monday night to supervise Sunline's gallop in Sydney yesterday and will be at the Hamilton Cup meeting today, which is being covered by the New Zealand TAB.
Gascoigne and stablemate Ebony Honor leave for Adelaide tomorrow, where Ebony Honor will run in Saturday's $A100,000 Port Adelaide Guineas with Mark Sweeney in the saddle.
Sweeney is also engaged for Moralee when the Taranaki filly makes her Australian debut in the $A100,000 Lakewood Stud Stakes.
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Roger James has not given up hope of getting New Zealand Derby winner Hades to the Queensland winter carnival despite having to miss the $A1 million AJC Derby.
Hades has had to be withdrawn from the Sydney carnival because a niggling back problem has not responded quickly enough.
James was forced to miss last weekend's $A400,000 Rosehill Guineas and says the class 3-year-old could not take on a race as tough as the AJC Derby without a lead-up run.
"We will keep our Queensland options open and see how he comes along in the next few weeks."
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Despite the flood of money for Sunline for Saturday week's $A2.5 million Doncaster, Hire has been promoted to clear favourite.
The Sydney 3-year-old is the 3-1 favourite with bookmakers with Sunline on 7-2. Hire was upset by the track at Rosehill on Saturday, which clearly makes Sunline the safer risk if there is any rain around in Sydney next week.
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Party Queen is tough in more ways than one. She has been declared a certain starter in Saturday's $60,000 Travis Stakes at Te Rapa, despite a debilitating winning run in shocking conditions at Tauranga at the weekend.
There was barely one horse on the entire programme who was able to properly handle the deep and testing Tauranga footing.
Three-year-old fillies were particularly vulnerable to being flattened by the experience.
"She hasn't been affected by that race, in fact, if anything she's improved with it," said co-trainer Graeme Sanders yesterday.
Hamilton missed much of the heavy rain which devastated Tauranga and Waikato Racing Club racing manager John Oatham said the Te Rapa track should be in reasonable condition for the Cambridge meeting on Saturday.
"That's provided the weather forecasts are accurate," he said.
"The track is 3.1 and easy today and if the weather stays pretty good as it's supposed to we will have a surface that's firm or easy. Even if it gets back to firm, it will be a typical autumn track."
Racing: Late additions to aid star Kiwi pair
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