Racing: Railway at Ellerslie produces a complex punting puzzle

Not An Option (left) galloping with Endless Drama in track work at Ellerslie.Photo / Trish Dunell

For Tony Pike today's richest race isn't the one that comes with the most pressure.

Sure Pike wants to win the $200,000 Sistema Railway at Ellerslie with his odd couple sprinters Endless Drama and Kali.

He thinks one (Kali) of them probably can, the other (Endless Drama) might need a miracle.

"But we go into it realistic," says Pike. "For Kali it is a throw at the stumps, taking on the older horses with a 3-year-old filly.

"She gets the weight relief, she is very fast and I think she can be a real chance if she can sit just off the speed and they go hard. But we are not going there with huge expectations because she is only 3.

"And the other fella, well his chances have been really affected by the draw. From out there (barrier 14 after scratchings) we have no option but to go back at the start, head straight to the rail and hope the breaks come.

"I am not saying he can't win because he is a very good horse. He has won an Easter and been placed in the Stradbroke. And he beat Te Akau Shark and Melody Belle over 1200m this season.

"But we know Railways don't tend to be won by horses from those sort of draws. So a lot will need to go his way."

The Railway is one of the more complex punting puzzles in recent years with Aussie speedsters like Winter Bride unknown to many here but with James McDonald aboard she could be the centre of huge support.

There are past winners like Volpe Veloce and Santa Monica, a whole heap of group one horses ready for 1400m which could be ideal for a hard 1200m this afternoon, comeback kings like Julius and one of the highest class line-ups of mares seen in one race in New Zealand in recent seasons.

You could make a case for backing 10 different horses, maybe Media Sensation has the right mix of class and draw. But the Railway is going to be what group one races should be: bloody hard to win.

While Pike would love the group one his pressure race for the day comes earlier, when Not An Option steps out as favourite in the $100,000 Barneswood Farm Eclipse Stakes.

Unbeaten juveniles always come with pressure at this time of the season as the Karaka Million comes more sharply into focus.

But Not An Option is a rare beast in New Zealand racing. A majority share in him was purchased by Cambridge Stud recently and they want to make him a stallion.

If he wins today then it will be impossible to ignore the Karaka Million but the long-term goal will be Australian group one success. He may only be a two-race 2-year-old but he has very adult goals.

"It is exciting," admits Pike.

"We all want to have good horses and he might be very good. And I was thrilled to have Cambridge Stud buy into the horse but obviously that comes with some pressure.

"I think he is good enough to win this race and then we can sit down and talk about what lies ahead.

"But we have to get this out of the way first."

The expectations are more tempered around Sherwood Forest in the Auckland Guineas today. Even though he is a 2000 Guineas placegetter today's race is the starting point for a Derby campaign whereas favourite Riodini is ready to rock and roll today. It will take something special to beat him.

MEGA MEETING

Ellerslie hosts one of the great race meetings of the year today. Here are the features with their best bets.

R3, 1.38pm: $100,000 Barneswood Farm Eclipse Stakes. The bet: NOT AN OPTION
R4, 2.13pm: $100,000 Valachi Downs Royal Stakes. The bet: TWO ILLICIT
R5, 2.48pm: $100,000 Dunstan Feeds Championship. The bet: SWORDS DRAWN
R6, 3.23pm: $100,000 Jamieson Park Auckland Guineas. The bet: RIODINI
R7, 3.58pm: $100,000 Rich Hill Mile. The bet: PRIS DE FER
R8, 4.33pm: $200,000 SkyCity City Of Auckland Cup. The bet: CONCERT HALL
R9, 5.08pm: $200,000 Sistema Railway Stakes. The bet: MEDIA SENSATION