Racing: Latta lines up Christmas crackers

Five To Midnight (centre) will tackle the $100,000 Manawatu Cup on Saturday.Picture / Race Images

Central Districts trainer Lisa Latta is hoping that Lincoln Blue's Ellerslie win last weekend was the entree rather than the main course.

Lincoln Blue put himself in the New Zealand Derby frame when winning the listed 3YO Salver (2100m) last Sunday and Latta will have more Ellerslie features in her sights at the New Zealand Herald Christmas Carnival.

Latta, who is based at Awapuni, will be represented in both group one races at the Christmas meeting and expects to have two runners in the group three City Of Auckland Cup.

Stable stalwart Authentic Paddy will tackle the group one Zabeel Classic (2000m) on Boxing Day and Stewards Stakes winner Reilly Lincoln has been kept fresh for the group one Sistema Railway on January 1.

Five To Midnight and King Kamada, who tackle the $100,000 Manawatu Cup (2300m) on their home course on Saturday, are both being aimed at the $200,000 City Of Auckland Cup (2400m), on January 1.

Henree Winkler, who has been a big improver this term, will contest the $80,000 Dunstan Feeds Rising Stars Final (1500m) on Boxing Day.

Latta has had her share of success at Ellerslie, where her big wins include the Zabeel Classic with Mikki Street, the Karaka Million with Fort Lincoln and the Rich Hill Mile with Platinum Princess.

Authentic Paddy showed he was back in peak condition when runner-up in the group one Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham at his last start. The seven-year-old probably returned the best run of his career when beaten just half a length when third, behind Kawi and Stolen Dance, in the 2015 Zabeel Classic.

Reilly Lincoln, who has won seven of her 16 starts, had a two week break following her decisive victory in the group three Stewards (1200m) at Riccarton.

Henree Winkler, a four-year-old by Rip Van Winkle, has had two wins and four seconds from seven starts this term.

Five To Midnight is a talented and improving four-year-old and should be the main threat to Counties Cup winner Chocante at Awapuni this weekend. The Domesday gelding showed high promise as a stayer last term and has impressed in his three starts this season.

He won fresh-up over 1600m before running third in the Feilding Cup at his open class debut and was having his first race for five weeks when comfortably winning an open 2100m at Trentham on December 3.

"He's just so much stronger this time in," Latta said.

"He galloped really well on Tuesday morning and is thriving."

Five To Midnight has had two wins and three placings from his five runs at 2000m or further and his only unplaced run over a middle distance came when he was hampered by a fallen runner in the group two Championship Stakes at Ellerslie in April.

He had previously been runner-up to Humidor in the Manawatu Classic and was also second in the New Zealand St Leger (2500m).

King Kamada, who races in the same ownership as Five To Midnight, performs best on right hand tracks but needs to run this weekend to keep fit for the City Of Auckland.

The seven-year-old had a testing season last term, including three runs over 3200m. He was given a much easier spring this year and Saturday's race will be just his fourth for the season.

"I'm really happy with him and he's going in the right direction," Latta said. King Kamada was placed in both the City Of Auckland and Avondale Cups last season and was runner-up in the Manawatu Cup. He also ran second in both the Auckland Cup and Avondale Cup the previous season.

Latta has 17 acceptors for Awapuni and the classy Mighty Solomon, who has not raced since January, will resume in the Manawatu Challenge Stakes. "He's been in work a long time and usually goes well fresh," Latta said.

NZ Racing Desk