New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock holds a strong hand in the $20,000 two-year-old race at Trentham with Fulla Vink and Dixie Rocker.
The pair have both created big impressions in their brief careers and stand out as obvious chances in the eight-horse field.
But Sharrock sprung a surprise when he said his boom apprentice Michael Walker would not be riding either.
Instead, Sharrock has opted for apprentice claims on both horses.
Sean Collins, who is able to claim 3kg, will partner Fulla Vink while the 4.5kg claimer Chris Rauhihi will ride Dixie Rocker.
Sharrock said he was disappointed with the weighting of Fulla Vink who was given the topweight of 58kg. He believed the horse was harshly treated in relation to Vera Pro Gratis, who has 56.5kg.
While Fulla Vink has won two races compared with one by Vera Pro Gratis, the latter ran second - beaten a nose - in the listed Castletown Stakes in which Fulla Vink was seventh.
"Vera Pro Gratis is going to be the horse to beat but I am hoping the claims will help my horses," Sharrock said.
He said there was little between the pair on ability but felt a 4.5kg weight advantage in favour of Dixie Rocker could be a telling factor.
"Both horses should be competitive. They are good honest fillies and will handle the heavy track," he said.
Fulla Vink has won two of her three starts including a last start win over Dance Class at Tauranga on June 23. The latter went on to win at Avondale last Saturday.
Dixie Rocker, a Stark South filly, lost her rider at her debut but has subsequently recorded a win and two thirds. The win came at Hastings on May 24 and Sharrock believes she was a certainty beaten when third at Ellerslie last start. She will race in blinkers tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Walker will ride the Ian Adams-trained The Risen Grey in the two-year-old event.
Walker will be on Sharrock's other two runners - the talented Da Hong and Kenirace - tomorrow. Both horses resumed with fresh-up seconds recently.
Da Hong tackles the premier quality race over 1000m.
Kenirace, a good second at Wanganui, tackles the class one 1000m.
- NZPA
Racing: Sharrock goes for claim
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