Racing: Shikoba aimed at final day of Ellerslie carnival

Mark Walker had some bad news for the $150,000 Starcraft Stakes field on March 11, the final day of the Auckland Cup Carnival at Ellerslie - class filly Shikoba is going to run.

Walker has decided to use the weight-for-age 2000m event as a lead-up to the New Zealand Bloodstock Oaks at Trentham.

The Matamata trainer has eliminated the 3-year-old fillies traditional lead-up, the Lowland Stakes at Trentham, because he does not want Shikoba to have two trips to Trentham.

Walker has been looking for any slight sign that Shikoba has been training off, being well aware the class act has been in training since early June last year.

An unnecessary extra trip to Trentham might add considerably to the chance of that happening.

Traditionally, 3-year-olds have had a wonderful record in the Starcraft Stakes, earlier known as the Air New Zealand Stakes and New Zealand Stakes.

So much so that it became the pivotal point of the tweaking of weights Southern Hemisphere 3-year-olds carry at this time of year.

McGinty (1983), Bonecrusher (1986), Tidal Light (87), The Gentry (89), Surfers Paradise (91), Roysyn (96) and Xcellent (2005) are 3-year-olds that proved far too good in the class race.

As a filly Shikoba will have just 51kg, against the 58.5kg older male horses will carry.

"The good horses will be targeting the Auckland Cup," said Walker. "There is a 2100m 3-year-old race over the Ellerslie meeting, but there will be a few desperates and imagine if one got one on the filly's back legs."

Top class horses are well served in weight-for-age races, regardless of age and the determination Shikoba displays will be well suited to this event.

Winning a group one race is crucial for Shikoba and Walker will consider the Queensland Oaks in June provided the filly's condition holds up. "I can afford to put her out for two weeks after the Oaks here and still have her ready for Queensland."

It is understood luckless, but classy filly Pulcinella is also considering the Starcraft New Zealand Stakes.

Walker is happy with star galloper Darci Brahma after his mammoth first-up second to Kristov at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Nothing he has seen has changed Walker's mind to use the $100,000 Otaki Maori Weight-For-Age (1600m) as a final lead-up to the A$1 million Cadbury Guineas in Melbourne.

* Certain favourite Wahid has drawn awkwardly at gate No 11 for Saturday's $100,000 Mercedes Champion Stakes at Ellerslie, the final lead-up to the $600,000 Mercedes Derby.

However, if the emergencies are the only scratchings, Wahid will start from barrier No 8.

He is not the only fancied runner to draw out - Great Northern Guineas winner Sculptor has gate 15, Charliehorse No 19 and Camponeschi No 20.

4.45: MERCEDES CHAMPIONSHIP STAKES

(Group two)

$100,000, 3yo, 2100m

1 11231 Wahid (11) 56 (92) L Innes

2 31421 Black Panther t (2) 56 (88) G Cooksley

3 33641 Chettak (14) 56 (85)

4 17113 Charliehorse t (19) 56 (83)

5 56032 Mr Dane (10) 56 (81)

6 97410 Sculptor tm (15) 56 (81) C Ormsby (a)

7 72035 Roman Chariot (16) 56 (80)

8 1X374 Ava Crown m (5) 56 (79) T Thornton

9 38211 Kingsinga (8) 56 (76) V Colgan

10 47X10 Mick Curtis m (6) 56 (76)

11 50517 Bold Contact (12) 56 (74)

12 15342 Camponeschi (20) 56 (74) G Grylls

13 X1334 Darringdo t (18) 56 (74)

14 33240 Congaline (3) 56 (73) N Harris

15 49030 Twinkling tm (9) 54.5 (80) R Norvall

16 03629 Kaapeon Way (13) 56 (71)

17 4216 Twopaddocks b (17) 56 (68)

18 96233 Snip (7) 56 (59)

19 3X973 Flight Fighter (4) 56 (56)

20 6449 Carnegie Dancer (1) 56 (54)

Emergencies: Kaapeon Way, Twopaddocks, Snip, Flight Fighter, Carnegie Dancer