By MIKE DILLON
Roger James does not get confident about winning big races, but he's more worried about getting The Pumper into the Rosehill Guineas than he is about winning it.
Not that winning the group one feature will be easy.
But becoming part of the final field may be more difficult for the brilliant winner over 1600m at Ellerslie last Saturday.
James has always been concerned that the stakemoney level earned by The Pumper, $27,000, may not be enough to guarantee him a start in the Rosehill Guineas.
He contacted the Sydney Turf Club two weeks ago, and it was pointed out to him the Rosehill Guineas has not been a full field for the last five years.
"I took some heart from that, but then 27 horses nominated for the lead-up Canterbury Guineas this weekend. I figured they were the same horses who will target the Rosehill Guineas."
STC racing office executive Craig Morrisey said this week that if the same horses pay up for the Rosehill Guineas next month, The Pumper has a problem.
"For example, the field as it exists today for the Canterbury Guineas on Saturday shows that the first emergency, The Legend, has earned $A40,000.
"A lot depends on how many accept for the race tomorrow. It's one thing to nominate, but another to be serious about starting.
"If 22 accept for the Canterbury Guineas then it would seem to be a natural progression for those horses to continue on to the Rosehill Guineas.
"That would make it difficult for The Pumper."
James knows he faces a potential major problem.
"It will completely muck up his AJC Derby preparation."
James said he was not disappointed with the effort of Giovana to finish sixth in the $A1.25 million Australian Cup on Monday.
"Being in front certainly wasn't planned.
"In hindsight I would rather have seen her sit three wide than lead.
"It was one of those runs you just have to forget."
Racing: Start in Guineas tough for Pumper
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