KEY POINTS:
Former champion trainer Dave O'Sullivan always knew what it took to win an Auckland Cup and he's got that glint in his eye again.
"I think I just saw the Auckland Cup winner," said O'Sullivan almost casually moments after the field flashed across the line in Saturday's $30,000 Stanley Group 2000 at Matamata. There was no question he was talking about fourth-placed Pentane, trained by his son Lance.
Pentane, last year's Auckland Cup winner, stormed home into fourth behind Lilakyn, Gallions Reach and Valley Chief, the first and third horses not considered for the Cup and Gallions Reach only a possibility.
It looked the effort of a horse desperate for long distances.
"He feels better than last year," enthused Michael Walker, who was on Pentane in last year's Cup.
The TAB bookies read Walker's mind when they promoted the horse to $3.80 Auckland Cup favourite ahead of the previous chart topper Kingsinga, who finished sixth as beaten favourite on Saturday.
Lance O'Sullivan had not been happy with Pentane until the horse made ground late into sixth behind Sir Slick in the group one 2000m Whakanui Stud International at Te Rapa.
"To be fair to the horse we'd been working him right through solely with the 3200m in mind," said O'Sullivan. "After that Te Rapa run I've ridden him every morning myself and he feels terrific.
"I couldn't be happier with where he is."
Leith Innes was not so sparkling on his Auckland Cup thoughts around Kingsinga, who had looked so good finishing third to Sir Slick.
Envoy was outpaced at the 2000m as expected, but Kerry O'Reilly caught the eye even though only seventh.
He was finishing well and with urging from Cameron Lammas he continued into the back straight with a strong gallop.
Lilakyn's win was reward for the problems trainer Guy Lowry has had with her.
"She's had a torn bicep tendon and it's troubled her a lot off and on," said Lowry.
Rider Hayden Tinsley was impressed.
"It was a good win. Her attitude seems better this preparation and she settled kindly."
The Auckland Cup market: $3.80 Pentane, $4.20 Kingsinga, $5.50 Willy Smith, $10 Luckshan, $12 Envoy, $13 Kerry O'Reilly, $18 Genebel, Ntamack.
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Stipendiary steward Cameron George is lodging a report on the disappointing track at Otaki on Saturday.
The track was officially rated as 2.5 and good on Saturday morning, but George downgraded the condition to dead after race two when the footing was clearly not good despite a beautifully fine day.
George discovered the club had put one inch of water on the track on consecutive days on Saturday and Sunday last week then continued to water each day.
"Then they got a bit of rain on Friday night," said George.
"I also discovered a penetrometer reading was not done Saturday morning - they went with the one done Friday night.
"I told the course manager and the secretary after the last that they were lucky it was a sunny day otherwise the footing would have been slow.
"As it was it was on the worse side of dead."
Several jockeys told George their mounts slipped near the 800m in one race.
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NZ Thorougbred Racing has charged Chris Johnson with failing to take all reasonable measures to allow a horse every opportunity.
The charge arose from Johnson's handling of Futureproof at the recent Tauherenikau meeting and will be heard on March 19.
