KEY POINTS:
Graeme Sanders and his son and training partner Mark watched Pasta Post shuffle a little as he walked out of his box yesterday morning and were delighted.
They hadn't really expected anything different from the dashing winner of Tuesday's $200,000 Don Ha City Of Auckland Cup.
What particularly pleased them was there was no soreness in the foot that has troubled Pasta Post for much of the past 12 months.
"He's jarred up a bit, but you'd expect that," said Graeme Sanders. "But the good thing is he's not sore in the feet."
There would have been a few horses feeling the effects of the Ellerslie surface yesterday.
The track, officially rated at at 2.0 early yesterday morning, would have become significantly firmer through the day as a result of the high Auckland temperatures.
There is now no reason why the Sanders stable will not press forward to the $350,000 Century City Wellington Cup in three weeks.
Before Tuesday's race Graeme Sanders said he felt if Pasta Post could handle the 2400m of the City Of Auckland Cup, he'd manage the 3200m of the Wellington Cup.
"I guess you have to say he was strong at the end of yesterday's race," said Sanders in unquestionably the understatement of the carnival.
It wasn't all glory for Pasta Post's rider Craig Grylls.
Earlier on Tuesday he received a five-day suspension and a $500 fine for interference he caused on Silk Spur in the Eclipse Stales.
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San Bernardino perhaps helped make the picture clearer for the $1 million Karaka Million late this month when he scored a dominant win at Te Rapa a few weeks ago.
But the waters were muddied again when he was beaten, albeit narrowly, in the Eclipse Stakes.
The handsome colt was off the bit being pushed along coming up to the home turn. He fought well once into the clear, but the close third didn't want to make you rush to the bookmakers to back him in the Karaka Million.
"The right-handed track," said co-trainer Garry Newham.
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Keep Cruisin didn't escape unharmed from her little tantrum in the barriers before she was late scratched in the Royal Stakes on Tuesday.
She has bruised stifles and swelling to both hocks and trainer Stephen McKee says he will ease the filly for a week or so before deciding her immediate future.
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There were plenty of excuses in the Royal Stakes and Keffiya, Lanbrae, Lady Lucille and Exquisite were all hampered late.
There will be some strong form out of the race won by the emerging staying filly Satinka, trained by O'Sullivan and Scott.
