The weight of 58kg could trouble northern visitor Amnesia in the South Island Breeders' Stakes at Riccarton tomorrow, but that isn't the end of the worries for co-trainer Chris Bothwell.
Amnesia, whose distinguished career to date only lacks a stakes victory to cap it off, has come south in search of black type and could remain for the Easter carnival if all goes well.
On January 20 she produced an exceptional finish in the Anniversary Handicap at Trentham and followed that with a second to Saint Cecile in the Breeders' Stakes (1400m) at Tauherenikau.
She followed that up with another Breeders' Stakes placing, again over 1400m, at Tauranga behind Fifty Fifty and then ran second to Voltaire at Otaki.
Whatever merit these runs had they are the cause of some worry for Bothwell.
"She's been up a long time and done a fair bit of racing," he said.
"She's travelled well down here and we've had no problems, but she is not far from a spell."
Amnesia has also yet to win at tomorrow's distance (1600m) in spite of several honourable placings at it.
Her best form has probably been on rain affected ground. In fact her best race was a placing behind Bonanova at group three level in Brisbane as a three-year-old.
Zaza, La Chatelaine, and Anquilla look the hardest to beat in an open field.
The Michael Pitman-Chris Harris stable has restored Zaza's career after a disappointing Australian campaign threatened to end it and her debut at Riccarton on Saturday will cause wide interest.
Zaza is a headstrong sort who likes to run her own race and sometimes has second thoughts about going into the gates.
But she has a touch of class when required and comes in well enough at the weights to perhaps want to lead.
Zaza has won four of seven New Zealand starts but failed in four more in Melbourne in fillies' and mares' handicap races last spring.
La Chatelaine is due a win in this company. She won easily in a lesser grade here last start and seems somewhere near her best three-year-old form.
"She'll be one of my best rides on the day and this is an ideal trip for her," said jockey Terry Moseley.
"But there are plenty of chances in the race."
The versatile Anquilla, who was placed in the Invercargill Gold Cup at 2200m after being placed in the White Robe Lodge Stakes at 1600m, will be a popular value bet and will be ridden for the first time by Jamie Bullard.
- NZPA
Racing: Remember Amnesia
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