KEY POINTS:
Christchurch trainer Kevin Hughes admits he has had to resort to plan B for Dimondsontheinside in today's $70,000 Marton Cup.
The feature of the Marton Jockey Club's meeting at Awapuni, Palmerston North, was originally not on the agenda for Dimondsontheinside but heavy seas in the Cook Strait intervened.
Hughes, who trains at Riccarton, had intended to run Dimondsontheinside in the $100,000 Manawatu Cup (2300m) at Awapuni on December 23. But getting from the South Island to the North Island at that time with a horse was not possible.
"They had about 9-metre swells. They were almost not taking passengers," Hughes said. "We ended up staying at Blenheim and returning home."
Hughes is aiming Dimondsontheinside, who arrived safely at Awapuni on Thursday, at the group one $300,000 Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on January 27.
His original lead-up plan was the Manawatu Cup followed by the Trentham Stakes (2400m) on January 20.
Now it is one race less with the Marton Cup to be followed by the Wellington Cup.
That would appear a tall order as Dimondsontheinside has not raced since finishing fourth in the New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton on November 18.
But Hughes said he was not unduly concerned and believed Dimondsontheinside would race well today.
"It's plan B but that's the way things work out sometimes," he said.
"I think she'll run a very big race and with that run under her belt she's going to be a big chance in the Wellington Cup."
Hughes said Dimondsontheinside did not need much racing to bring her to her peak and she had done plenty of groundwork.
"She's done plenty of work. I don't think she could be any better at the moment.
"She's not a horse that needs a lot of racing - there's not much of her."
The Istidaad five-year-old mare finished fifth to Envoy in last year's Wellington Cup and was an unlucky runner.
She was checked at the start, settled well back before being hampered on the turn and running on well once into the clear. Hughes was confident Dimondsontheinside was a much stronger horse this season and he said rider Noel Harris told him she could have won the Wellington Cup.
"He reckoned she should have been first or second.
"Looking at her now, I think she's a far better horse than she was last year."
Dimondsontheinside was yesterday at $26 on the New Zealand TAB's fixed-odds market for the Wellington Cup while her Marton Cup price was $16.
The horse is raced by a syndicate of 10, including her Ashburton breeder Tony Cook, New Zealand cricket captain Stephen Fleming and former New Zealand cricket and rugby representative Brian McKechnie.
Kingsinga remained a firm favourite at $3.80 for the Marton Cup.
The Danasinga four-year-old gelding has raced 11 times for five wins, three seconds and a third and shows much promise as a stayer. He has had only five starts at a distance of 1900m or further for three wins and a second.
- NZPA
