Racing: Lynds nervously awaits possible re-handicap for Wall Street

Opie Bosson. Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

Awapuni trainer Jeff Lynds will be carefully watching the Australian Jockey Club website late this morning.

He'll be praying there is no re-handicap for Wall Street for Sydney's A$1.5 million Doncaster Handicap following the dramatic win in the $70,000 Rich Hill Thompson Handicap at Trentham on Saturday.

The Doncaster is a tough 1600m and as such is even more weight related than most group one events.

The 53kg the Sydney handicapping team gave Wall Street when weights were declared a couple of weeks ago looks comfortable. Even a 1kg rise would be uncomfortable.

Wall Street is the real deal for the Doncaster, a race New Zealand won with Sunline in 2002 and 1999 and before that not since the Ray Verner-trained Gold Hope scored in 1980.

Before Saturday's win you could get $34 about Wall Steet with Australian bookmakers, but that price has gone.

Melbourne's DoubleBet has shortened him into $21, but on the strength of his local form there are plenty of New Zealanders who would consider that satisfactory.

The New Zealand TAB yesterday had Wall Street at $18 for the Doncaster.

Wall Street will have just the one Sydney start and will accompany in-form stablemate Vosne Romanee, who will contest just the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.

Jeff Lynds was yesterday attempting to finalise travel plans.

"Both horses have done well. Wall Street, in particular, has come through yesterday's race nicely."

Both will be ridden in Australia by Opie Bosson, who picked up four wins and a close second at Trentham on Saturday.

Lynds will be looking for better luck with Wall Street than during his only other attempt on the Doncaster.

He took the under-rated Marconee to Sydney, but it rained for the Doncaster and the team was out of business.

"He still ran fifth or sixth, but he was hopeless in the ground."

Marconee's overall record would have been considerably better but for becoming travel sick on the trip to Hong Kong for the international races.

The opposition on Saturday were not even close to being good enough to match it with Wall Street, although runner-up Cassini showed she is a staying mare of extreme promise and will be difficult to beat when she next steps up beyond 1600m and third-placed All In Tempo hinted at huge potential in finishing on strongly.

Doncaster market: $7 More Joyous, $8 Rangirangdoo, Typhoon Tracy, $11 Shoot Out, $13 Black Piranha, Danleigh; $13 Pilacio De Cristal, $17 Rock Kingdom, Theseo; $21 Neroli, Wall Street, Dao Dao, Road To Rock, Rock Classic.

* Stephen McKee was originally happy to spell emerging stayer Mr Charlie after the $45,000 AON St Leger at Trentham.

After the gelding ran out of sight to win by 6 quarter lengths, McKee would now like to find another decent autumn target. The problem is he can't.

Sydney used to run a St Leger for three and 4-year-olds in the autumn, but has canned the race and Melbourne's St Leger - 2800m on Anzac Day - is exclusive to 3-year-olds. "I don't know what to do with him now," said McKee yesterday.

"He's won only three races so he wouldn't get in a race like the Hawkes Bay Cup."

"I'll have to have a good look through the programmes."

McKee has no such problem with Culminate, runaway winner at Te Rapa on Saturday under a steadier of 58kg.

Consideration had been given to taking Culminate back for the Sydney carnival, where she performed well last season, but a decision was made to concentrate on the group one NZ Bloodstock Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes at Te Aroha on April 10.

Culminate had mainly stayers to beat over 1400m on Saturday and did not have to be pushed out to win by just under five lengths.

"She only had to three-quarter pace all the way around," said McKee.

The juvenile winners at Trentham and Te Rapa on Saturday were stylish.

Hot favourite Lion Tamer did not have a lot to spare in beating Saint Agata at Trentham, but he showed a ton of heart in getting there.

At Te Rapa, debut runner Endless Story did what trainer Andrew Scott suspected he would do - lead throughout.

Scott gave his apprentice Vincent Ho clear instructions: "Lead at all costs. It was clear from trackwork she didn't like horses in front of her or even outside her, so we were always going to try and lead."