Racing: Mighty Solomon carries weight in Mile

Bella Court will contest the Karaka Million. Photo / Trish Dunell

Lisa Latta says Mighty Solomon is up to winning the Thorndon Mile at Trentham, though she's a little worried how close he is at the weights to some proven performers.

Mighty Solomon is the favourite for the group one 1600m race today after winning four of his past five starts.

Most of those have been in lower rated races, though he did win an open handicap at his home track of Awapuni at his last start, beating home some top horses.

However, the set weights and penalties conditions of the race means he carries 55kg, just 3kg below topweights Pure Champion and Nashville, both group one weight-for-age winners.

"In other years he would have got 52 or 53kg, so it is a worry he's only a couple of kilos off those proven horses," Latta told NZ Newswire.

"It's a big step, but he's a promising horse and he's done everything right." Latta said the Thorndon had been Mighty Solomon's target from the moment he resumed training for his 4-year-old season and he would have a break after today's race.

Latta has runners in all three features at Trentham, with King Kamada running in the group two Wellington Cup (2400m) and Platinum Witness and Platinum Command both running in the group three Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) for 3-year-old fillies.

King Kamada came home from well back to finish third in the Marton Cup this month and at 52kg Latta said he had improved greatly since that race.

Platinum Witness hasn't run since winning the 1000 Guineas in November and missed a race at Awapuni this month.

But Latta said she was in good shape after a jumpout run, while Platinum Command was a last-start winner that should enjoy Trentham.

Latta also has Bella Court and Platinum Express at Ellerslie tomorrow in New Zealand's richest race, the $1 million Karaka Million (1200) for 2-year-old Karaka sales graduates.

Latta, who won the race in 2011 with Fort Lincoln, said Bella Court was the better chance given she'd drawn barrier four.

Bella Court will be ridden by Sydney jockey Tommy Berry, one of several Australian-based riders in the race.

- AAP