KEY POINTS:
It's been a struggle to get The Pooka at his best for his group one task today, but his trainer John Wheeler thinks he's pulled it off.
The Pooka is the warm favourite for the $175,000 Diamond Stakes (1200m) for 2-year-olds at Ellerslie, on the strength of two group three wins and the absence of star filly Crossyourheart.
Wheeler, who trains at New Plymouth, said The Pooka's preparation had not been plain sailing this summer.
"He's had a few little problems, some of which have been because he's just growing," Wheeler said.
"He's been struggling a little bit with the regime that's required to win these big races.
"He'll be much better as a 3-year-old but he'll be pretty much 100 per cent for Saturday."
Wheeler said The Pooka was as good as any juvenile he'd trained after he led all the way from a wide draw to win the group three Wakefield Stakes (1200m) at Trentham in January.
The Pooka ran into an even better juvenile at his next start when second up to Crossyourheart in the New Zealand Bloodstock Classique at Hamilton's Te Rapa course.
Last time out he fought hard to hold out Keepa Cruisin in the group three Ford 2YO Classic (1200m) at New Plymouth on February 17.
Champion jockey Mark Du Plessis said after the New Plymouth race that The Pooka appeared to be feeling the hard ground in a race run in very fast time.
But Wheeler said there was another factor behind The Pooka's apparent dislike of the track.
"He had a stone bruise and an infection in the heel and I think that was more of a factor than the hard track," he said.
"I think he's probably better on a good track anyway."
Rain at Ellerslie this week has made the track dead but the ground was not expected to get much worse, barring a downpour.
Wheeler's New Zealand Cup-winning stayer Pentathon is also taking on group one weight-for-age company in the Starcraft New Zealand Stakes (2000m) today.
"He's probably not a winning chance but he should run a nice race," Wheeler said.
"All going well he'll have two more runs after this before the Sydney Cup [on April 14]."
- NZPA
