KEY POINTS:
It will be a tragedy if an irregular blood test stops Australian sprinting marvel Takeover Target from running in tomorrow's Hong Kong Sprint.
Owner Joe Daniak confirmed he had treated Takeover Target with a mild hormone in seven weeks ago.
Progressive tests will be taken in the hope
that traces of the prohibited substance, detected by the Hong Kong Jockey Club this week, are out of the horses system by tomorrow.
What an opportunity lost if it all falls over.
If he wins, Takeover Target is up for a $1.45 million bonus for winning four legs of the Global Sprint Challenge - the Lightning Stakes at Flemington, the Kings Stand at Ascot in England and the Sprinters Stakes in Japan.
With the likes of Choisir, Takeover Target and Starcraft it would be difficult to argue that Australian-trained horses are not among the best short-course types in the world.
But how good.
Perhaps you need to ask someone who has an objective opinion.
So the Herald asked Melbourne-based former New Zealand jockey Garry Willetts, who had a long association with one of the true greats of the Australian turf, Manikato.
Manikato won 29 races, 24 of them with Willetts on his back.
"Someone did an in-depth research of his record the other day and if they'd had the rating system then that they have now he'd have a record of 22 group one wins," said Willetts.
Despite bleeding attacks and bad legs, Manikato raced for six full seasons after winning the Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper at two.
After he won the William Reed Stakes at Moonee Valley five years running they named the race in his honour and he is now buried close to the winning post at Moonee Valley.
Many good judges rate him the best sprinter Australia has produced.
Ask Garry Willetts if he's seen one as good since. "Well, Takeover Target's pretty good."
Affirmation probably doesn't come a great deal better.
Lost in Translation
On the subject of international horses, we're going to see a very significant race in Japan on December 24.
Delta Blues and Pop Rock, Japan's Melbourne Cup heroes, are down to run in the 2500m Arima Kinen at Nakayama and facing them will be stablemate Deep Impact - the world's best stayer.
This clash should show just how difficult it will be to beat the Japanese in future Melbourne Cups.
If Deep Impact beats his stablemates by six lengths in what will probably be his last raceday, then Australasian horses are in for a few more headaches in the next decade.
Japan's massive Shadai racing machine did not bother taking Deep Impact s to Flemington because he would have been handicapped out of the race. Instead, they identified Pop Rock as the horse weighted at the right level to give them an elusive win and they protected his handicap until weights were released.
It didn't quite work out because Delta Blues proved a touch too strong, but it nearly did and they won the race anyway, albeit in a slightly different syndication under Shadai's umbrella.
At the post-Cup press conference the winning connections were happy to admit Delta Blues and Pop Rock are not in the same class as Deep Impact.
Here is a scenario: if they identify the next Deep Impact at an early stage in its career and protect its racing programme to ensure it gets into the Melbourne Cup at the right weight, what chance is there of beating it.
It's hoped Trackside can secure coverage of the Arima Kinen on Christmas Eve.
Everyone should watch it.
