Racing: Seachange not a certain starter at Opunake meeting

Star filly Seachange is an acceptor for racing on Saturday but Waikato trainer Ralph Manning said the likelihood of her running was less than 50-50.

Seachange is entered for an intermediate grade race over 1200m at the Opunake Racing Club's meeting at Hawera, Taranaki, in what would be her first start for six months.

Manning, however, said he would probably want two factors in his favour if he was to decide to run this season's Filly of the Year.

One was a strong training gallop today and the other an improvement in the track conditions at Hawera.

The track was yesterday rated heavy and Manning said he would like to see conditions improve to slow.

"It's probably less than 50-50 with the way the weather is," Manning said. "If the track's reasonable and she gallops huge in the morning, we might run."

But even if Seachange was scratched she would still make the trip south from Manning's Cambridge stables.

She would accompany stablemate Magnetism, who contests the $70,000 Opunake Cup (1400m) at the meeting.

"She'll still go down for the trip anyhow and she can have a gallop between races, just to try and get some mileage into her," Manning said.

Seachange, unbeaten in five starts, is being aimed at the $60,000 weight-for-age Foxbridge Plate (1400m) at Te Rapa on August 19.

- NZPA