Racing: Liefting reflects on lack of luck

Justa Tad's poor luck in Melbourne has Rudy Liefting in reflective mood.

On the way home from Justa Tad's 10th to Makybe Diva in Saturday's A$500,000 Underwood Stakes, Liefting thought of New Zealand.

He thought about the $1 million Kelt Capital at Hastings.

"I couldn't help thinking that I had taken on a half-million dollar race with a champion in the field and at home they were racing for a million dollars.

"I'm not saying Justa Tad would have beaten Xcellent, but at least third place was there for the taking."

Liefting is a long way from admitting Justa Tad is simply not good enough to measure up in the Melbourne spring carnival.

But he now understands how much luck you need to travel alongside your talent to be successful in races like the Underwood Stakes.

Justa Tad has been devoid of luck. From an outside barrier she was forced to race three wide without cover in midfield and compounded the inconvenience by pulling hard.

Then in the home straight she was caught up in a traffic jam behind the main bunch of horses, far from disgracing herself once in the clear.

"One of the things that grabbed me is how big some of the top horses are in Australia. It doesn't give a mare like her confidence to attack a gap when a 17-hands backside is at the other end of the opening."

Liefting is taking Justa Tad down one notch to the A$100,000 Coongy Handicap, a group three event on Caulfield Cup day on Saturday week.

"I'm not disappointed even though hindsight will tell many people she might have been better placed in the Kelt Capital.

"But we decided that we'd give her a crack at the top horses in Australia when she was at her best as a 4-year-old and when she was at a low level in the weights.

"She can always have a crack at next year's Kelt Capital."

The Coongy is a handicap and Liefting expects Justa Tad to be handicapped around 56kg.

"I suppose that will depend on what's entered.

"The Cox Plate was always our No 1 aim, because you've got to have a plan. I always had a plan B and now we've started on that."

Liefting says Justa Tad is physically thriving in Australia and says he will not be surprised if the class mare ends up in winning form.

He is considering dropping her back to 1600m for the A$500,000 Nestle Classic, a race in which Miss Potential beat Alinghi last year.

"There is also the weight-for-age Mackinnon Stakes the same day. If she managed to win the Coongy very well you might get brave and take on the Mackinnon.

"The 1600m would suit he because the pace would stop her pulling."