Racing: Starcheeka begins Derby trip

Hoofit will be no pushover. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Class may tell in first event at Tauranga in what could be a good day for McKee

As the $2.2 million Telecom Derby chances start to thin out, Starcheeka sits there on $12 on the TAB futures market, despite not having raced since June.

The handsome 3-year-old will change that and possibly his Derby quote when he goes around in the first at Tauranga today.

Starcheeka (No4 R1) made a huge impression at his second start as a juvenile last season, racing away from Remember Howe and Shah in a 1400m maiden race at Hastings.

The Stephen McKee runner was then set for the major juvenile events at the Queensland carnival.

Things went wrong when he struck a wet track in the Doomben Slipper and he was again luckless in the 1600m T J Smith.

He has not had a barrier trial this preparation, so there is no public certainty about his fitness to resume, but he has class and just five opponents today. It will be one of the most interesting runs of the Tauranga programme.

His stablemate Cheeky Red (No2, R2) took a couple of starts to find form this time, but his solid-finishing second to Solzhenitsyn at Ellerslie last start left no doubt he's now in the zone.

That was a good effort and a similar one would take him close today, although his stablemate Hoofit (No6) will be no pushover. He is resuming from a break after racing against the very best 3-year-olds when wet tracks didn't always suit him.

The draw is just awful, but if you can take a chance on it, Hilton (No5, R3) will give you a good sight. He was beaten favourite on debut in a 2-year-old race back in June, but the effort wasn't bad. Eightlives (No7) showed ability last season and has won a barrier trial since coming back this time.

You can forget Dasoudi (No4, R4) went around at Ellerslie last time. Things went wrong and it would pay here to judge her chances on her dominating win at Ellerslie the start before. The Party Stand (No6, R5) was a good thing beaten at Te Rapa last start. She was checked at least twice and absolutely flew home from the 200m. Needs only half a chance to get the money here on that run.

Stablemate Veronica Franco (No1) is a threat, but the 58kg is a worry, and Pinot Girl (No4) is close to a win.

Shantaine (No6, R6) could be the bet of the day. Her Awapuni win last start was fabulous and although up a grade here, the race doesn't look that much stronger. It might be that only bad luck can beat her.

Essaouira (No14, R8) looked good on debut getting home very strongly. She steps from 1300m to 1600m this time and that might be all you need to know.

* Meanwhile in other news, racing at Caulfield and Eagle Farm today will help determine the extent of Australian raiders to Trentham and Ellerslie in the next few weeks.

The Lee Freedman-trained First Command is on trial for the $1 million Telegraph at Trentham when he goes around as topweight in the Cleary Stakes at Caulfield this afternoon.

First Command, to be ridden by Dawyne Dunn, has 59kg to lump, so it will be a decent trial for the talented sprinter, who looks just a length or two below the best of Australia's talented short-course horses.

Monton, who ran favourite in the Railway at Ellerslie last week, is heading to the Telegraph and Gai Waterhouse has indicated she will almost certainly throw in a $30,000 late entry for the race for Swift Alliance.

"Gai said they'll wait until close to the late entry deadline [January 18] before paying up," said Jack Petley, who assists in Australia with soliciting horses for major New Zealand carnivals.

Freedman will also judge the Karaka Million chances of his Darci Brahma colt Chateauneuf Dupape in the first event at Caulfield.

There are only a handful of runners and any level of prizemoney should get Chateauneuf Dupape into the Ellerslie feature on January 30.

The prizemoney breakdown today is A$42,700, A$12,600 and A$6300.

Queensland trainer Alan Bailey is hoping Epona Princess does enough in the A$50,000 juvenile race at Eagle Farm today to justify a trip to Ellerslie.

The continuing wet tracks in Queensland have frustrated Bailey's training with Epona Princess.

"Like everyone else, I've been hoping the tracks would have dried out by now, but it hasn't happened."

Bailey is hoping the filly's outside barrier draw will be an assist in the conditions.