Racing: Pindy Bosson's buddy

Pindy races away from a strong field in last month's Opunake Cup.

There's a tip for the $70,000 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa tomorrow.

The thing you need to be aware of is that it's a jockey's tip.

There is a line in horse racing that jockeys are the worst tipsters in the business.

That's not always the case, of course, and this tip comes from one of the best, Opie Bosson.

He has decided to climb off grand old campaigner Bulginbaah to ride Pindy instead in the first of the season's weight-for-age races.

The remarkably consistent Pindy is coming off some brilliant form, like a 5.5 length runaway in handicap class at New Plymouth last start.

Bulginbaah was also in that race, finishing 8.5 lengths away in sixth place but Pindy carried 55.5kg and Bulginbaah had to lump the 60kg top weight.

Both have 58.5kg this time. A 4.5kg swing is enormous at this level.

It's a safe bet that will bring them closer together - the trick is working out how much closer.

Everyone assumes Bulginbaah is much better suited to weight-for-age conditions - a natural assumption - but his recent record in that area is not quite what many would believe.

Three starts ago he finished third to Yanna Marie and Veloz at weight-for-age at Hastings and before that, in December last year, he finished second to Il Quello Veloce at Manawatu, the day rider Chris Johnson dropped his whip.

Even earlier, he was third in the group one Captain Cook Stakes behind Dezigna and O'Ceirins Angel and as a lead-up to that finished fifth to Princess Coup and Nom Du Jeu in the Stoney Bridge Stakes at Hastings. And he chased Fritzy Boy home in the Mudgway in the first of the Hastings spring treble.

In this race last year he was beaten by a short head, probably unluckily.

That makes him competitive here, but he's not the standout he might have been two years ago.

The horse Pindy and Bulginbaah probably have to beat is Il Quello Veloce.

The winner of nearly $500,0000 is not very big, but she's tough.

She also looks to have strengthened between three and four and created a bit of an impression when she came a close second to Te Akau Rose at last week's Te Teko barrier trials in her first public appearance since her Sydney campaign last autumn.

Rider Mark Du Plessis at no stage allowed Il Quello Veloce full rein and she went to the finish strongly.

A plus for Il Quello Veloce is that she showed last season she could handle just about any track conditions.

The rain forecast for today and tomorrow is certain to downgrade the Te Rapa track from its earlier impressive reading, but the Hamilton track handles rain better than almost any of the northern surfaces.

"I'm very happy with her," said trainer John Sargent of Il Quello Veloce. "She will definitely improve with this race, but she's well enough to be competitive."

Pindy is dropping back to 1200m from 1580m and 1400m, but he is a speedy horse and is unlikely to be inconvenienced. Four of his nine wins have been at 1200m.

You simply cannot leave Bulginbaah out of calculations. He is imagined to be best at 1400m and 1600m, but his 1200m record is eight wins from 20 starts.

If Occidentalis makes the field from the first ballot he needs to be considered.

RIDER'S TIP

* Opie Bosson has elected to ride Pindy ahead of big-winning Bulginbaah tomorrow.
* Pindy is a 5.5-length New Plymouth winner last start and Bulginbaah has been beaten in every weight-for-age race in the past 12 months.
* Il Quello Veloce is the horse they probably both have to beat.