Racing: Magnetism out to prove he has test match character

Waikato trainer Ralph Manning is hopeful Magnetism is ready to step up to the galloping equivalent of test rugby.

That's the analogy he makes for Magnetism, who bids for his first win in 16 months today when he tackles the $75,000 Opunake Cup (1400m) at Hawera, in Taranaki.

Magnetism went into his last campaign with a big reputation, but did not win from seven starts.

Being a four-year-old, the Marju gelding was racing out of his own age group for the first time.

Manning said taking on the older horses was like the gap between New Zealand rugby's national provincial competition and playing for the All Blacks.

"It's a huge step up," Manning said.

Magnetism raced at the equivalent of test level - group one - in five of his seven starts last campaign and had one minor placing.

That was a third to Miss Potential in the $150,000 Stoney Bridge Stakes (1600m) at Hastings last September.

Magnetism also placed twice at group three level last November.

He was second to Millennium in the $50,000 Tauranga Stakes (1600m) and third to Sedecrem in the $50,000 Great Northern Challenge Stakes at Ellerslie.

Manning said with that campaign under Magnetism's girth strap the horse should be a much tougher prospect in the top grade this year.

Magnetism indicated he would be hard to beat today when resuming with a short head second in a $30,000 premier quality event over 1200m at Rotorua on June 24.

On that occasion he carried the big weight of 60.5kg but drops to a more comfortable 55kg this time.

The likelihood of a very heavy track at Hawera is one concern for Manning.

"If it's a real heavy track, those good old mudders like Don't Ya Lovett might out-slog him.

"But any improvement in the track and he would probably be a bit sharper than them.

"He handles wet ground all right but I would say those seasoned, older horses might have a fitness edge. My horse hasn't raced for four weeks."

Manning was hopeful an operation this year to overcome a niggling hind leg injury would result in improved results this campaign.

"Touch wood, he seems to be a lot freer in his action," he said.

Magnetism was a $6 second favourite for the Opunake Cup on the TAB's fixed-odds market yesterday. The favourite, at $3, was the Allan Sharrock-trained Don't Ya Lovett.

The Lord Ballina six-year-old gelding is adept in winter ground, with eight of his nine wins being on either slow or heavy tracks.

Don't Ya Lovett, second to Hamilton Road in last year's Opunake Cup, has won two of his three starts this campaign.

He could not have been more impressive in the last of them, at Te Awamutu on July 8 when he came from last at the 600m to swamp his rivals.

Don't Ya Lovett is a $4 equal favourite for the group three $100,000 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton on August 5 but victory today could instead see him head to Melbourne.

Sharing third favouritism at $9 for the Opunake Cup are Bulginbaah and Zvezda.

Bulginbaah, trained at Wanganui by Ken Cropp, has stepped up in distance and class, with wins at his last two starts. His victory over 1400m at Otaki on May 20 was his first beyond 1200m. He then proved himself at weight-for-age when taking out the $30,000 Wanganui Stakes (1600m) on June 3.

Zvezda, who was retired from racing with a tendon problem, appears to have come back as well as ever. The seven-year-old gelding was a winner over 1400m at Te Rapa on June 10 at the third start of his comeback and last time out beat all but Leica Guv over 1600m at Te Awamutu on July 8.

Zvezda is a dual group one winner and his Otaki trainer and part-owner Kay Lane has said previously she hoped the horse could again prove competitive at the top level.

- NZPA