Racing: Stylish galloper turns on startling performance

Baldessarini was asked a question at Ellerslie yesterday, and provided a comprehensive answer.

The little-raced Palmerston North sprinter was on trial for the Railway Stakes at Ellerslie and no discussion was needed after the race.

Baldessarini scorched around Ellerslie in 1:8.56, only three-quarters of a second outside Diamond Lover's truly remarkable 1200m track record of 1:7.73.

Two factors made it a devastating performance - Baldessarini had not only never raced right-handed previously, he had not even been galloped right-handed in training.

The second factor is that rider Lisa Cropp said the stylish galloper could have gone faster.

She told Wayne Herbert, husband of trainer Anne Herbert, that Baldessarini was starting to develop a habit of waiting for the opposition once in front.

"He's actually happy to sit off the speed and wait to be asked," said Cropp.

At Ellerslie, Baldessarini sat outside pacemaker Royal Entertainer. When he gained the front in the home straight he looked to press on and if he was starting to ease up, it was a hugely dynamic performance.

"He's always been one of the best horses we've ever had, but we've had to go slow with him," said Herbert.

"He's been shinsore and had things go wrong.

"He's pretty exciting."

Another visitor, Magistra Delecta, fought strongly for third ahead of Vaalu, Abit Rusty and Vaalu.

Before the race trainer Jim Gibbs thought he would have four Railway runners - Devoted, Darcy Bee, Vaalu and former Railway winner Vinaka - but afterwards he wasn't sure.

Vaalu fought on for a useful fourth and looked as though the race would further improve him and Vinaka finished at the tail of the field after being shunted very wide on the home bend.

"I don't know if Vinaka is going to come back [to winning]," said Gibbs.

"He's had his problems, as we know. But I'll press on with him and he and Vaalu can run in the Newmarket as a lead-up to the Railway.

"I'm having trouble getting the weight off Vinaka - the Newmarket should tell us where we are with him."

Like everyone else, including all Pick6 punters, Gibbs was initially disappointed that Devoted had been unable to get past outsider Shinko Bay in the closing stages of the sprint at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Devoted did what very few horses can - he caught Gibbs napping.

"I couldn't believe it when he came back in, he was blowing heavily.

"He'd obviously got away on me, which surprises me because he'd had a pretty tough run in the Concorde at Avondale.

"I'm not afraid of lining him up at 1600m, but I made the decision this morning to freshen him for the Railway.

"Darcy Bee can run in the Newmarket as well.

"She's done too well since coming back from Riccarton."