KEY POINTS:
To most people it won't come as a surprise that Sean Collins says Pasta Post is the best horse he's ridden.
It would if you analysed the form comparison Collins used to make that judgment.
Even after winning six of the seven races he's ridden Pasta Post in, Collins rated Sphenophyta the best he's ridden.
He's now changed his mind and that's about as big a plug as he could give the hot favourite for tomorrow's $350,000 Century City Developments Wellington Cup.
Sphenophyta was freakish and totally untapped in New Zealand.
After a dashing burst of Australian form a controlling share was sold to clients of Lee Freedman's stable and Sphenophyta won his lead-up weight-for-age race then started favourite in the 2006 Caulfield Cup.
His extremely tough lead-up race had taken its toll and he finished fourth and was spelled. He went amiss in the early part of last spring, but Freedman, who marks horses hard, rated him up with the best.
If Sphenophyta at his best was in this race with Pasta Post's weight of 56kg he would be at $1.20 and you'd knock your next door neighbour over to get to the bookies to back him.
Pasta Post was never going to do anything but start favourite in the Wellington Cup after dashing away with the City Of Auckland Cup at only his second start in open company.
That's something you rarely see, and he did it at only his eighth start.
That race and one of the three barrier trials Pasta Post won before racing, are the only times Sean Collins has been off Pasta Post's back. Stable apprentice Craig Grylls took over at Ellerslie when Collins couldn't make the 52.5kg.
Collins says he wants to publicly thank trainers Graeme and Mark Sanders for having the faith to put him back on.
"Some trainers would take you off a horse like this after one or two wins and it's great that Graeme, Mark and the owners appreciate the work I've done."
Pasta Post, of course, has soundness issues. Collins says the best the horse has felt was between his first and second runs this preparation.
"But then he struck the leg problems and he came right, but he still felt just a little bit scratchy leading up to Ellerslie. He feels right back to his best."
But there is nothing quite like 3200m group one races in midsummer to test thoroughbred legs and Pasta Post has to survive the physical strain.
With luck on his side Pasta Post should win, in which case the winning salute will be interesting.
One of the most excited whip flourishes we've seen in the past year was from Collins after Pasta Post destroyed the field in the Manawatu Classic last March, which is the front cover of this edition. You imagine, even with the stipes watching, this one might be better.
Because of a long struggle with weight, Collins gets few opportunities for a horseman of his talent.
Yet his demeanour immediately after his lost opportunity at Ellerslie was interesting. He shed a few tears and explained: "I cried for Craig [Grylls]."
Knowing Craig Grylls, you imagine that might be reciprocated tomorrow.
