KEY POINTS:
Manawatu stayer A Great Life is on his last chance for a start in the Wellington Cup next Saturday.
A Great Life is in the $40,000 Wellington Cup Trial Handicap (2200m) at Trentham today and trainer Kevin Gray said he was unlikely to tolerate another disappointing performance.
"He needs to put his hand up. He's on one more chance," said Gray.
A Great Life was the fourth favourite for the $80,000 Marton Cup (2200m) at Awapuni at his last start on January 12 but finished ninth.
"He was pulling a bit hard all the way. He didn't settle that well, he might have been a little bit fresh," Gray said. "But I was bit disappointed in his run all the same."
A Great Life is a $21 outsider on the New Zealand TAB's fixed-odds market for the Cup.
Gray has long held a good opinion of him as a staying prospect which he said had been backed up in training.
"Even at the [training] track, the further you seem to go with him the better he goes," he said. A Great Life had done nothing wrong since the Marton Cup and Gray hoped new rider, Chris Johnson, would bring a better showing.
"His work has been good, he's done well and I've got Magic Johnson on him. I've got my fingers crossed and hope things go right."
Gray's only concern was if the Trentham track become too hard after fine weather in Wellington yesterday.
"The horse won't run if the track is rock hard. He likes the jar out of it."
Before the Marton Cup, A Great Life was a good fifth to Nanjara in the group three $100,000 Manawatu Cup (2300m) at Awapuni on December 22.
A week earlier, at the same track, he was beaten only half a neck when second to All Square in the Manawatu Cup Trial Handicap (2000m).
All Square is again a rival today and must rate highly. He followed up his Manawatu Cup Trial win with a second in the Manawatu Cup when going down by a neck.
All Square raced in the Marton Cup at his last start and battled well for fifth with a weight of 57.5kg. * TAB fixed-odds markets for Trentham next Saturday:
Wellington Cup, 3200m: $3.50 Pasta Post; $5.50 Three Chimneys; $6 Mirkola Lass; $8 Resolution, Young Centaur; $12 Sunrize; $16 Nanjara; $21 A Great Life, Kerry O'Reilly; $26 Sakura Cluden, Spit 'n' Polish; $31 All Square, Tinseltown, So Decisive; $51 Bold Contact, Meggido, Shear D'Cash; $61 Bahhzaar, Taikorea, Hi You Gotcha, Carnegie Dancer; $81 Western Line, Ration Point; $101 Miles, Jaunt, I'm Isaac; $126 Avaroadi.
Thorndon Mile, 1600m: $3.80 Sir Slick; $5 Alamosa; $9 Cog Hill, Fiscal Madness; $12 Dezigna, Shariat's On Fire, Vosne Romanee; $14 Tipulater, Final Reality; $16 Dorabella, Sterling Prince; $21 Ombre Rose, The Silence Sir, Fercertain; $26 Charliehorse, High Octane; $31 Manonamission; $61 Benelli, Penny Florence, Jurys Out; $81 Towzan; $101 True Valour, The Veep, Shamrock Star, McCahon, Lady Winifred, Raphael.
- NZPA
