Seven group two placings, including five group two seconds, deserves some reward and Soap Opera is looking for hers today.
The Matamata mare's luckless owners are looking for some overdue black type rating for the mare's broodmare pedigree and trainer Paul O'Sullivan is as cautiously optimistic as anyone could be about going close this time.
"The old tart is very well and ready for this race," said O'Sullivan, who has freshened Soap Opera since her luckless close third in the group two metric mile on the last day of the Auckland Cup carnival.
Soap Opera would win this with any one of her last four starts, which have been minor placings behind the likes of Sir Howard, Zonda, Beacon and Sunline.
"This might be her chance," said O'Sullivan.
The surprise yesterday, if you lived in Auckland, was that a heavy shower reduced the Tauranga track to 3.6 and soft yesterday afternoon. While a firm track may have been preferable for her, she has been three times placed from four starts on soft tracks.
There are a few chances to topple Soap Opera again, not the least of them, Durzetta, who turned in such a fabulous fourth behind Sunline at Te Rapa last week. It is worth the risk that Durzetta has come through that run and able to perform at the same level again with the races only seven days apart. In the spring the Cambridge mare did not back up well when her races were that close, but she is much fitter and harder now. The soft track brings Amnesia more into favour, not only because of her ability on rain-affected footing, but because the conditions will probably ensure the racing pattern favours back runners.
On a reasonable track, The Pumper (No3, R2) looked a great chance on his Trentham second to stablemate Danamite last start, but he has not raced on anything but a firm surface. He looks so good he is worth the risk, with a saver quinella on Scheherezade (No1), who has soft track form.
Sheez Zocay (No8, R3) is another who is smart who is unknown in soft footing other than when she failed to figure when stepping right up in class in the Guineas Trial at Ellerslie in only her second appearance. She has class and if the conditions are not too bad, she rates highly. High Reason (No4) resumes from a spell and in his first start since the spring, can win at reasonable odds. He can manage rain-affected footing.
Fleeting Magic (No5, R4) is a debut juvenile who has not trialled, but the Barathea filly has a private reputation, which should see her go close.
Stuart Little (No1, R6) is another worth the risk he might handle the "off" track. His one start on easy footing resulted in a good minor placings on this track and he looks a great bet if he can manage the conditions after his big second to Jetusin at Te Rapa last weekend.
His stablemate Billy Quin (No3, R8) is better than his failure at Trentham last start suggests. Go here on his two prior winning performances. In the conditions, Courting Debt (No1) looks the danger.
Juniper Joe (No1, R10) has form on easy tracks and he should prove hard to beat in the last with his fast finishes, which should suit the pattern today.
Racing: Luck is long overdue for mare
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