By MIKE DILLON
Melbourne trainer Colin Alderson does not take prisoners.
Through 51 winless weeks with one of Australia's great thoroughbreds, Sky Heights, Alderson has had plenty of advice from a bunch of the horse's owners.
His reply in the victory speech after Sky Heights' dashing $A400,000 Yalumba Stakes win at Caulfield on Saturday was to thank his owners for their help in the horse's training.
It would have been tinged with humour.
Alderson was just pleased to have last year's Caulfield Cup winner back in the right form.
And this was more than just a $A400,000 victory. It told us everything about where Sky Heights was to take on the mighty Sunline in the $A2 million Cox Plate.
Sky Heights is no natural weight-for-age horse with a vital electric sprint. But if there is a weight-for-age race within his grasp, ironically it is the richest of them all, the Cox Plate.
Because if there is one horse whose racing style makes him dangerous to Sunline in the right circumstances, it is Sky Heights.
"The way he won yesterday was critical," said Sydney journalist and topline form analyst Allan Aitken, who manages Sky Heights' rider Glen Boss.
"If he'd won narrowly yesterday you could not have fancied him at all in the Cox Plate, but because he did it at both ends and still worked away from a hot field, you have to give him a top chance on Saturday week if a couple of elements go his way.
"To be able to beat Sunline you have to be able to work at both ends.
One will be the barrier draw.
"If Sky Heights draws in the first four barriers you can forget him. He misses away most starts like on Saturday and if he does that from an inside gate in the Cox Plate suddenly you're eighth on the rails and nowhere to go.
"If Sunline leads and gets a rest anywhere in the race, she'll just be too good for them.
"But if Sky Heights comes across from a mid-field or even outside gate early and puts the pressure on Sunline in front, it could be a different scenario."
Glen Boss had to break some golden rules to get Sky Heights home on Saturday.
"The biggest no-no riding at Caulfield is to sprint up the hill down the back of the track," said Boss yesterday.
"I've ridden him up the hill because the pre-race plan was to make it a pressure race.
"It made it a pressure race for them all and he came out on top with a big win.
"If you look at his career form he loves a fight - he's a street fighter. He loves it tough."
That is the one element that could spell danger for Sunline.
The pressure Sky Heights put on the opposition on Saturday may not work quite the same against Sunline, except it could bring both horses undone and leave it to a flashing finish from Shogun Lodge or Tie The Knot, both of whom are guaranteed to be ridden cold in the middle of the back of the field, waiting for a late sprint.
If Sunline's co-trainer Stephen McKee is worried about the talented trio pitched against Sunline in the Cox Plate he was not letting on.
Except he acknowledged the Sunline camp is not too keen on the idea of early pressure on the champion mare, in direct contrast to last year when Sunline was left with a cozy lead.
"Sunline's best distances are probably between 1400m and 1800m and 2000m is stretching her capability at this level, so any additional pressure becomes an important issue.
"Anything could take her on in front at 1400m and 1600m and would always come off second best, but at 2000m it is a bit different.
"Only the likes of Might And Power and Vo Rogue could put pressure on in front all the way and be competitive at this level.
"You don't get horses like them come along every day."
Bookmakers were screaming encouragement for Sky Heights on the home turn on Saturday with almost the same volume as the horse's owners.
Bookies wanted something more of a betting scenario than a gift Cox Plate for Sunline.
"Yes, we cheered him home," said Brian Taylor, manager for Double Bet.
"Sunline has always been our worst result and while Sky Heights is our second worst, he will be a lot better for us.
"Tie The Knot and Shogun Lodge are the ones we want in the frame."
Because of the weight of money that flowed in for Sky Heights after this win, Sunline has eased slightly from 5-4 ($2.25) out to 6-4 ($2.50) for the Cox Plate.
Sky Heights is 5-1, Shogun Lodge and Tie The Knot are 6-1 and the next in the market on 12-1 is Fairway, who is almost certain to start instead in Saturday's $A2 million Caulfield Cup.
Racing: Street fighter instincts spell danger to star
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