Racing: Search for a jockey who fits Leica Guv

Wanted: A new jockey for Leica Guv, prizemoney $70,000.

The recent two-from-two Opie Bosson-Leica Guv association will come to an end in 12 days when the best winter talent available goes around in the $70,000 Opunake Cup.

As impressive as Leica Guv was in beating Zvezda in Saturday's $30,000 Te Awamutu Wines and Spirits Cup, his trainer Emma-Lee Browne accepts Bosson is required for Don't Ya Lovett in the Hawera event.

And Don't Ya Lovett's sprint win at Te Awamutu left little doubt he'll start close enough to favourite on Saturday week.

Leica Guv was not originally aimed at Hawera because he has shown little appetite for racing left-handed.

But Browne can see a born-again horse that looked only a shell of his former Derby-winning self a season or so ago.

"He's a happy horse again now and it's because we pretty much allow him to do what suits him in training," said Browne.

The other half of the "we" is husband David Browne, grandson of Ann and the late Kenny Browne. Lately he has been doing pretty much all the work with the talented stayer at the famous Browne property at Cambridge.

Three months ago Emma-Lee Browne gave birth to Chloe. So when a photographer asked for a photo of the trainer and Leica Guv moments after Bosson took the saddle off on Saturday, the reply was: "Okay, but we'll have to make it quick, I have to breast feed the baby."

Everything about Leica Guv's attitude to his racing has changed, according to Browne, and it showed at Ellerslie two starts back and when he raced past Zvezda on Saturday without having to be asked to go to the bottom of his energy.

"He's grown up. He needed the time out he had and he's really wanting to do it now.

"He was bored, but he's being trained differently - he does all his work around the farm."

Bosson was impressed on Saturday. He told Browne he couldn't believe how easily the horse got through his work.

Just about every talented metric miler in training is targeting the Opunake Cup, but Leica Guv will not be out of it if he manages the left-handed racing better than previously.

"Most of the decent races at 1600m coming up are left-handed, so we decided, let's have a go at this one and see what he does."

Leica Guv worked past Zvezda comfortably enough in the closing stages, but the runner-up - nine lengths clear of third-placed Art Link - was impressive enough.

"He went very well," said rider David Walsh.

"Kay [Lane] was worried how he'd see the distance out in his first race for a month and he did very well for a horse that will take a lot of improvement from the outing.

"Things probably suited the winner a touch better this time, but when it's an even go, I believe there is little between the two horses."

Lane was unsure whether to take Zvezda on to the Opunake Cup, or to look for an easier option as a lead-up to Te Rapa's weight-for-age Foxbridge Plate and a clash with Seachange.

She said she would probably be guided by how heavy the track was. She said she accepted Zvezda would be one of the topweights and she was not keen for him to have a slog through deep conditions as a lead-up to a sharper weight-for-age race.