Racing: Stars on parade so punters can sneak preview

Get to the Breakfast With The Stars at Ellerslie early tomorrow morning if you want to see New Zealand Derby favourite Cheval De Troy galloping.

The Auckland Racing Club has advertised a 6.30am start, but it is unlikely the galloping action will begin before 7am.

Cheval De Troy will be one of the first to work because co-trainer Colin Jillings wants his horses to leave Takanini before Auckland's notorious Southern Motorway traffic build-up becomes a factor.

Cheval De Troy, the $2.25 favourite for the $500,000 Mercedes Derby, will gallop alone and will be ridden by raceday jockey Opie Bosson.

"He does enough working without a partner," said Jillings yesterday.

The Breakfast With The Stars ARC initiative is the first time the club has paraded in public the talent for the New Zealand Herald Carnival at Ellerslie.

It mirrors the hugely successful traditional promotions organised in the weeks leading up to the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup carnival.

"Entry is free and a cafe-style breakfast can be purchased on the course," said ARC racing manager Butch Castles.

Sectionals from the 800m, 600m and 400m will be recorded.

Ellerslie's high-quality big screen will be utilised for live action of the gallops and for replays.

"The connections of each horse will be interviewed after the gallops and those interviews can be seen on the screen," said Castles.

The appearance of rising Matamata star Xcellent at Breakfast With The Stars has almost certainly been ruled out.

There had been original thoughts of having Xcellent at the promotion to help him get a feel for a busy, buzzing occasion to help him to overcome the lack of big-time experience as he goes into the Derby as one of the real dangers to Cheval de Troy.

"We have pretty much decided we will do all the rest of his work here at home," said co-trainer Andrew Scott yesterday.

Scott said Xcellent had done even better than the most optimistic expectations since impressively winning a minor race at Ellerslie the day Cheval De Troy won the Mercedes Derby Prelude.

"He's put on 16kg since that day.

"I had some doubts about his maturity and I felt there was a chance he could have dropped away after that race, but he's gone the other way.

"He has maintained the weight when we started galloping him again."

Scott said Xcellent galloped very well at Matamata on Saturday morning.

At the Breakfast With The Stars, class sprinter Sedecrem will gallop with Gwen's Rules, whom he will face in the $200,000 Waiwera Infinity Railway on January 1.

Cheval De Troy's Derby rivals St Verdi, Able Standard, Cedar Manor and Cheshire have been confirmed to make an appearance.

Scott said D Major was a possibility.

The Moroney/Scott stable will have Railway hope Clean Sweep, Sarah Vee and Ubiquitous going around.

Richard Otto's former Australian-based sprinter Lamond will make an appearance.

Michael Coleman has been confirmed as the Railway rider of Lamond, who has been racing from the Queensland stable of Shaun Dwyer.

Lashed, Bois and Stadium will make the trip from the Rogerson/Autridge stable. Michael Walker will make a special trip to ride Stadium, his mount for the $350,000 New Zealand Herald Auckland Cup.

Lashed will attempt to win back-to-back Zabeel Classics on the final day of the carnival on January 3.

Cambridge 3-year-old Danz Star is in real danger of missing a Derby start despite a very impressive maiden win at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Owner and trainer Tim Carter had been hoping the victory would be enough, after having to contend with frustrating injuries with Danz Star, who has been forced to miss vital racing.

But yesterday Danz Star stood 21st on the list for the classic, which will have 18 starters.

There is a possibility Sir Woody could come out after finishing a distant fifth over 2000m at Awapuni on Saturday, but that would still leave Danz Star requiring a further two withdrawals to make the starting line-up.

Co-trainer Frank Ritchie has slight reservations about the performance of Daddy Knows Best at Te Rapa on Saturday, but will press forward to the Derby.

Daddy Knows Best finished only seventh as favourite over 1600m and tracked the field in last place until making ground in the final 400m.

"Obviously I would have liked to see him doing something a bit better, but he has had a 2400m preparation and was racing at 1600m and he came down the inside in the home straight where the footing was at its worst," said Ritchie.

"We'll keep going."