KEY POINTS:
Make sure you get the spelling right when you learn the TAB is tipping Xcellent odds for Seachange when it opens the market for Saturday's $200,000 Waikato Draught Sprint early this morning.
That's very definitely Xcellent odds - not excellent odds.
The TAB opened Xcellent up at $1.30 for his successful, but fateful, Trentham Stakes bid last month.
"That's the shortest I can recall a galloper opening up for a long time," said TAB bookie Thad Taylor last night.
But he is not promising anything much better for Seachange. 'You're about in the ballpark," he confirmed.
Seachange is using the group one 1400m sprint as a stepping stone to next month's 1777m Dubai Duty Free and on her quite remarkable fresh-up Telegraph victory last time , looks over the line barring accidents.
"It's horse racing and we all know what can happen in this game, but it does look a race for her," said ownership manager Rick Williams.
Williams is working on a rider for Seachange in Dubai.
His first preference is for Johnny Murtagh or Mick Kinane, but it appears both may have prior engagements.
A strong recommendation has been made for Ted Durcan, a name not well known in the Southern Hemisphere, but a rider of unquestioned ability.
Durcan won the Oaks at Epsom last year on Light Shift for Henry Cecil, rides on occasions for Godolphin and had been champion Dubai jockey several times. Astute judges say no one rides Nad Al Sheba racetrack better.
"I've got a very good contact in Ireland who's helping me with this and I should know a bit more in a day or two," said Williams.
Seachange galloped in great style at Cambridge on Monday morning and was expected to do her last piece of serious work this morning.
Provided nothing goes amiss, the only serious dangers to Seachange on Saturday could possibly be Kay's Awake, classy mare Irlanda and Gaze, but at level weights they face a huge task.
Kay's Awake got weight off Seachange in the Telegraph and although she ran a big race for second after being slightly slow away, she was never a chance to run the great mare down.
Thad Taylor was similarly not promising a great deal about Sir Slick's odds in Saturday's $200,000 Whakanui International, but it's likely to be closer to the even money $2 mark than the $1.30.
It's unlikely many punters will take too much notice of Sir Slick finishing only ninth in the group one Thorndon Mile at Trentham last start. The controversial 'off' track that day was against his bold front-running style. He'll be much better suited to this race where he is the standout performer.
Fiscal Madness, winner of his last two, and the ever gallant Dezigna are likely to offer Sir Slick the greatest opposition. Sir Slick will be ridden as usual by Bruce Herd.
