Racing: Leading filly likely to bound away in sprint

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The weight-for-age scale is meant to provide each horse with an equal chance, but Bounding looks better off in the weights in tomorrow's $200,000 NRM Sprint at Te Rapa than during her recent outstanding form.

Bounding won the Railway Stakes at Ellerslie on January 1, despite being uncomfortable on the rain-affected track.

The brilliant Matamata filly goes up 1.5kg to 53.5kg on that win, but some of her main dangers here, Durham Town and Barbaric, are worse off under this weight scale.

Durham Town goes from 56kg in the Railway in which he finished two lengths from Bounding, to 59kg.

Barbaric had just 53.5kg under handicap conditions in the Telegraph at Trentham and goes to 59kg.

On that basis, Bounding looks a great prospect. She was always likely to start favourite - she was $3.60 at the TAB last night - but that was assured when she drew barrier No 1.

The biggest danger to her might be the prospect of rain. The Te Rapa track will absorb a decent amount of any rain that arrives, but if the track became affected that would work against the speed horses and certainly against Bounding.

On a decent surface, Durham Town will be a danger. He has no form at Te Rapa - one unplaced run from one start - but there is no evidence that this sand-slit track is against him.

Scapolo will come into favouritism and be seen as the likely winner if significant rain makes a difference to the footing.

He has been beaten only once in seven starts on slow and heavy footing and some of those victories have been startling. Take no notice that his last start was at Greymouth, that is the style of his trainer Kevin Myers.

The TAB Final Field odds: $3.60 Bounding, $7 Scapolo, $9 Xanadu, $10 Nashville, Viadana; $14 Durham Town, Final Touch, Diamede; $18 Barbaric, $21 Ginner Hart, Sacred Star, Cosmic Cube, $26 Eight Schillings, $31 Pizzazz, $41 Jaggard, $61 Needlly.

The TAB has surprisingly made Historian the $4.80 favourite for the Herbie Dyke Stakes, although right behind on $5 are Shuka and Zurella.

The Solitaire is next on $7, followed by Postmans Daughter and Costume.