Racing: Melbourne Cup potential espied

One race would get part-owner Kylie Bax back from the United States - the Melbourne Cup.

That wasn't being ruled out as a possibility one day after the handsome Aeroforce One distanced the opposition in Saturday's $50,000 St Leger at Trentham.

The Bax family trainer, Roger James, believes that it will be a case of when, not if, Aeroforce One takes on races like the Melbourne Cup.

"For a long time I've thought this horse is a natural two-mile stayer and he showed it this win."

Beautifully ridden by Andrew Calder, Aeroforce One covered no extra ground trailing the leaders on the running rail.

Calder quickly had him through to the lead when an inside gap presented itself on the home bend and from that point it was simply a matter of what would fill the other two spots in the trifecta.

The 3 1/2-length margin almost flattered the opposition.

He continued to delight James even after the winning post.

"You would think that having got to the front so early in the home straight, he would have pulled up very quickly.

"I kept the glasses on him and he went right around into the back and was the last horse to pull up."

Aeroforce One is a big, slow maturing 4-year-old and James says he needs to be careful not to rush him into the top grades.

"I'll wait and see how he comes through this before I make even one plan. This is the biggest ask he's had because he's been weak and we haven't always been able to push the work into him we would have liked.

"He could just be a year away yet."

The immediate programme is also undecided. "There are races there for him if you make the decision to keep him going - I don't know."

Sentiment cost James dearly in terms of inconvenience. After the St Leger he had not much more than 30 minutes spare to get to Wellington Airport to catch a flight home.

"There was a presentation and I knew if I missed it I could make the plane, then I thought, 'What do you race horses for?' and I went to the presentation."

When James got to the airport yesterday morning for his transferred flight, Wellington was fog-bound and he had to drive back to Cambridge.

Rider Michael Coleman was reluctant to make too many excuses for the $2 favourite Kerry O'Reilly, who finished eighth.

The highly promising stayer looped the field from the 900m to be wide outside the leaders on the home bend but could not maintain the momentum in the final stages.

"The easy track certainly didn't help, but I don't want to use that as a sole excuse.

"There are signs he's starting to come to the end of his current campaign - he's playing around with his tongue during the race and a couple of little things suggest he's not quite where he needs to be."

Kerry O'Reilly remains one of New Zealand's most talented emerging stayers. He has come a long way in a very short time and should make headlines in the next racing season.

The Trentham meeting was highlighted by the South Island, which struggles at times to compete at the top level of northern meetings, winning half the 10-race card.

Rangiora's Paul Harris collected with Senorita Ivory in the $40,000 Desert Gold Stakes and attractive youngster Bearable in the juvenile, and Coup Baker, Jetmaster and Ha Ha McGrath were also too good.

Senorita Ivory may have been a touch lucky that northern filly Sista copped a hammering when turned sideways early in the home straight.

Ladykin, who caused the severe interference, was relegated to third behind Sista. The margins were only half a head and half a neck.

Sista's effort answered one query for trainer Graham Richardson - her shock Matamata defeat was a oncer.

NZ St Leger

* Aeroforce One wins the 2500m classic handsomely.

* Trainer Roger James is thinking of the Melbourne Cup for the emerging stayer.

* Hot favourite Kerry O'Reilly could finish only eighth.

* South Island horses perform well at the Trentham meeting, winning five of the races on the card.