Racing: Tough Sarrera ready

An old dog for a hard road.

It's a hackneyed expression, but it might just fit the bill for tomorrow's $1.2 million Kelt Capital Stakes at Hastings.

Sarrera certainly fits the old part - at 9 he's the oldest horse going around in the group one event.

The Kelt Capital just as certainly fits the hard road element of the old saying - it's one of the country's most difficult races to win.

The only inappropriate word is dog.

It's often used to describe a non-trying racehorse.

Sarrera is as far away from that as you can get.

Despite breakdowns and injury problems that would have finished most, the old-timer is still in there competing against the best at the highest levels at an age when most horses have been retired for so long they can't remember their racing days.

Sarrera, for practically all his career, has been trained in Melbourne by Mike Moroney and has banked $1.25 million.

Of his opposition tomorrow, only Sir Slick, with earnings of $1,814,295, comes close to that level.

Sarrera ticks all the boxes to be very difficult for raging favourite Daffodil to beat.

The 1400m and the firm track of the Mudgway Stakes in the first leg of the Hastings treble didn't suit. Add to that the fact he was badly interfered with when two jockeys flipped from their horses at the 600m.

The slow surface and the 1600m were better for him when he got to the Windsor Park Plate two weeks ago and he emphasised that when he came from the back of the field to get within a long neck of winner Daffodil.

The step to 2040m this time will be a big assist for Daffodil, but no less so for Sarrera. It's around his pet distance and equally suitable is the likelihood of a rain-affected track again.

Trainer Paul Moroney could not be happier with Sarrera.

"We're going into this race believing he's a top chance to win.

"He's an old bloke and while he hasn't had a lot of races, he's had injuries and setbacks and as a result he carries a few aches and pains.

"But right at the moment he's very free in his action. I'm sure he's found considerable improvement since his second-up run last start."

Being a back runner, Sarrera isn't as affected by the barrier draw as much as some of the Kelt runners, but he has been favoured with the No. 5 gate, which looks perfect.

Back runners always need luck in top-line events. Because the strength overall is strong, there will not be half the field looking to drop off from the 600m, which can offer gaps in normal races.

So the task of Craig Grylls to pick a path through the pack from perhaps the 450m will be crucial.

Grylls made the trip from his Te Awamutu base to Matamata this week to ride Sarrera in an important semi-final piece of fast work and was greatly impressed.