Racing: Tackle the $300k Pick6 with purpose

Purpose leads the field past the finish post in a race. Photo / APN

They are not handing out a share of the bumper mid-week Pick6 pot on a platter at Pukekohe today.

We may have to dig deep in a couple of legs, particularly in the day's highlight, leg three, the R75 1400m.

The Richard Collett-trained Purpose looked smart winning fresh-up at Dargaville but faces some talented rivals in her follow-up.

However, punters would do well to consider the track rating. Yesterday, it was a dead (4) and with showers predicted for today there could well be some upsets.

Leg one: Three fitness tune-ups over shorter trips should have sparingly-tried Te Karo ready to strike over 2200m at decent odds. The under-rated 7-year-old pushed Wisecrack and Asgoodasitgets close at the tail-end of his last middle-distance prep. Likely favourite Templeton, a relative newcomer to the staying ranks, is also a must include. He beat subsequent listed runner-up Zonza in quitting maidens two starts back, and then gave Hot Pursuit a scare next-up in a decent time over 2100m at Ellerslie. Marvon Downs rounds out the multi essentials. He was fourth behind Templeton at Ellerslie and had no luck next time over the same course and distance behind Despereaux.

Leg two: La Vienne, another promising type from Roger James' powerful fillies and mares' roster, won't need to improve much on her luckless first-up effort to break maiden status. Give Manhattan Mam another chance too. Her stable is always tough to beat at home and she didn't get all favours first-up. Lolly appeals as an outsider if the budget will stretch as an include. She made a good fist of her second-up effort for fifth behind the promising Lady Krovanh at Matamata over this trip on November 23. Bonamici didn't get any breaks in the same race yet caught the eye at the line when making ground out wide.

Leg three: She cops a wide alley and jumps to 1400m but Purpose simply won too well fresh-up at Dargaville to risk. She had no luck trapped wide in transit yet changed gear like a topliner inside the final 100m to win in near course record time of 1:08.37s. Caipirinha will relish the class drop after three recent close-up runs in top 3-year-old company. This type of race is well within his scope. At the weights, Lucy In Disguise is the biggest threat. Nothing has gone her way in her two appearances this campaign. She should have no excuses from the four gate. In a wide open affair, also include Royal Bliss after her last-start second this course and distance last month. Bigger spenders should also consider Justagem; the well-bred mare has had no luck lately.

Leg four: Promising filly Virginia Wade found the strong 3-year-old company and 1500m a fraction beyond her at Ellerslie. Back to 1400m in this grade she looks nicely placed to record her second win from just six appearances. Forget local Kishdar went around at Ellerslie on the same card over 1400m. He used up too much gas in finding the fence in a slickly run race. He can bounce back at double-figure odds. The son of Auckland Cup winner Bazelle is going to be looking for more ground than this shortly but his last-start maiden win was impressive.

Leg five: Lady Krovanh is the ideal type of filly to make a seamless transition from maiden ranks, particularly with the weight, draw and against moderate rivals. Mr Kunoff is the best insurance. The favourite aside, this field is a notch below the one he almost knocked off this course and distance on November 30. If the pockets are deep, Secrets Abound is also worth having as back-up. He charged home late over 1400m fresh-up as though the 1600m on his favourite track would suit.

Leg six: If she makes it off the emergency list, Star of Tralee has the ability to spice up your share of the massive pot. The athletic sort has more ability than her form suggests and won't be in maiden company for long. A string of inside gates haven't done a whole lot to help King's Fortune graduate; maybe he will prefer it from the wider start today. He might just be the sort better hunting them down from the back. Dreamliner has shown enough at trials and is from a stable that gets early results, and locals Flexman and Sola Gratia also deserve inclusion on multiple spreads on the score of their last-start late-closing efforts from wide gates.