The Riccarton programme tomorrow may be nicknamed the Longest Day in some quarters, but it fits in ideally with Loburn trainer Mandy Brown's schedule.
Brown will fly to Wellington early in the day to watch Torlesse run in the Jade Three-Year-Old, the second race, at 12.50 pm then fly back to Christchurch to watch Count Five take on the open sprinters in the AMP Banking Handicap, the seventh race, at 4.30 pm.
At this stage, she has a preference for Torlesse's chances over Count Five.
"Count Five hasn't raced since December 1 at Riccarton (where he ran 1200m in 1:9.29 to win) and he is a gross type of horse which thrives on racing and work," she said.
"I've been giving him plenty this week, but it may not be quite enough to have him at his best for Saturday.
"He also does prefer a little cut in the ground, so any rain would help," Brown said.
Townman, resuming after running fourth in the Stewards to Tooth on November 18, was another to lose a good opportunity when the Kumara meeting was abandoned last Saturday week.
He has a grand record at Riccarton, where he has won five races and can clock 1:10 over the trip.
Torlesse was carrying more baggage than most Wellington visitors when he left for Trentham on Wednesday. Enough to take him to Australia in fact.
Torlesse will go to Takanini immediately after Wellington - if he produces the form expected - and then on to Melbourne.
His initial sortie over there is the group three Debonair Stakes at Flemington on February 10.
"But at this stage, we are not thinking past Saturday. If he doesn't run well enough, he will be coming straight back home," she said.
"Otherwise, he will keep going north."
The Riccarton meeting stretches over six hours, a mixture of wanting to maximise off-course turnover and fitting in with the major meeting of the day - the Wellington Cup.
The feature staying event, the Dunedin Cup Trial, features Townman's stablemate, Aubwin, again being tried over 2000m.
His biggest worry could be Red Lights, a top performer at Riccarton and, for longer odds, Pitt Boss Kiss, which reserves his best races for Riccarton.
- NZPA
Racing: Longest day just what the trainer ordered
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