Racing: Spotlight on top rivals

A number of the leading contenders for the feature races to be held at Ellerslie during the summer carnival will be in action on Tuesday morning.

The Auckland Racing Club will host a Breakfast With The Stars track gallop training session which will begin at 7 am.

Cheval De Troy, the favourite for the $500,000 New Zealand Derby on Boxing Day, will have a leisurely hit out.

Other confirmed New Zealand Derby contenders that will turn out at this training session are Able Standard and St Verdi.

"There is a good chance that we'll get a few other Derby runners that will attend the Breakfast With The Stars session," said the Auckland Racing Club director of racing, Andrew Castles.

"A few trainers are just waiting to see how their horses perform on the training track this weekend before making a decision about coming to Ellerslie on Tuesday."

Sedecrem, Lashed, Clean Sweep and Stadium are other confirmed entries in this training session.

The big screen will be in operation throughout the morning covering all training gallops.

No entry fee will be charged.

A cafe-style breakfast will be available in the Piccolo Bar at Ellerslie.

"This is the first year we have run something like this at Ellerslie and it looks like we'll have between 20 to 30 horses in attendance.

"I'll be interviewing a number of the trainers and jockeys and for the punters who want to know what's going on, I'd suggest they get to Ellerslie and take in the live training action.

"It's not often that members of the public can have the opportunity to watch the favourite for the (NZ) Derby training in front of them five days before a $500,000 race."