By MIKE DILLON
The mud not the opposition has frightened class fillies Star Satire and Ballina Kate away from the $35,000 Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham tomorrow.
Both fillies take on the older horses at Ellerslie instead as a prelude to the group one 1000 Guineas at Riccarton next month.
"I simply wasn't prepared to put her on a float to take her all the way to Trentham and run on a soft track," said Star Satire's trainer Ross Taylor.
"I'm sure she would not have handled the footing.
"If you get down there and the track is too bad, you're committed to running because you have to have a race before Riccarton and it means you end up running for the wrong reasons."
Ballina Kate's trainer Stephen Autridge was not so much worried about the track conditions as how the filly would manage the trip.
"If she went all the way down there and didn't manage the trip or the track, suddenly you've got no options.
"By running at Ellerslie she has the option of the Waikato Guineas, Riccarton and the Bayer Classic.
"The Trentham way she could have been looking at the spelling paddock."
Running at Ellerslie means both fillies have to take on the older more seasoned horses for the first time, but both are enormous chances.
Ballina Kate faces a useful field of one-win horses in Race 10 but Star Satire has a much tougher task in the Class 4 Hunters Inn Handicap.
The result will give a valuable cross reference to the quality of the 3-year-olds, particularly the fillies.
Taylor is keen to see what Star Satire does, as she has trained on well since her Lowland Stakes win.
Racing: Mud keeps fillies out of Desert Gold
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.