KEY POINTS:
Stablemates Clifton Prince and Kay's Awake, who should have produced a quinella result at Riccarton on Saturday, are no good thing to face each other in Wednesday's $75,000 Stewards on the course.
Clifton Prince won Saturday's $55,000 Yesberg Insurance Pegasus Stakes and Kay's Awake flew into third and probably should have won, twice being disappointed for a run in the home straight..
The pair have drawn No 15 and No 14 in the South Island's richest sprint, but Matamata trainer Peter McKay says he is likely to run Kay's Awake instead in the $80,000 Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders Stakes.
"That's the way I'm leaning at the moment," said McKay last night.
The stablemates have joint second topweight with 57kg in the Stewards and Kay's Awake, with clearly the highest rating in the field, will carry 58kg in the Breeders Stakes.
Clifton Prince has a freakish record at Riccarton and also in the Stewards and, bad luck from the wide barrier apart, can win this race again.
Our Umaga drew No1 in Saturday's sprint and finished second to Clifton Prince and has been lucky enough to draw the rails again.
Wahid is the early favourite at $2.60 for the Coup-land's Mile at Riccarton on Wednesday. Other odds are $3.40 Dorabella; $12 Dezigna; $13 Flight Point, Benelli; $16 Delbrae; $18 Al Farouk; $21 O'Reilly Rose, Nitty Gritty, Final Reality; $31 Samburu, Ben Hogan; $41 Paris Hilton; $101 Dorado, Justice Day.
* Question: What sort of horse can have just four races then clean up a Listed sprint field.
Answer: A very good one.
Veloz proved he was one of those when he got back, covered more ground than anything in the race and powered home to win the $55,000 Te Rapa Supa Centa Sprint at Te Rapa.
Robyn and Russell Rogers have done a marvellous job of being patient with Veloz, now four with a minuscule race record behind him.
The Cambridge pair are considering giving the smart galloper a rest now and aiming at early next year.
Inshelucky showed another win is close in finishing a close third behind another improver in Accardo.
