KEY POINTS:
Waikato trainer Mark Walker is counting on the $200,000 Telegraph Handicap living up to its reputation today.
The 1200m group one event at Trentham, Wellington, is often run at a hectic pace and that's just what Walker wants for his runner, Darci Brahma.
A New Zealand record time of one minute 6.59 seconds was posted when Victory Dais won the Telegraph in 1993 and only once in the subsequent 13 years has the winner posted a time outside 1m 9s.
Walker said he expected Darci Brahma to settle off the pace and a strong pace would help.
"Telegraphs are always run at speed," Walker said. "That will suit horses that come off the speed."
Walker has already had a similar experience when he produced King's Chapel to win the 2004 Telegraph as a three-year-old.
"King's Chapel, when he won it, came from a fair way back," he said.
Darci Brahma has a good record at 1200m but it could be a little misleading in the context of today's race.
He had three wins from four starts over 1200m as a two-year-old but has not raced at the distance since.
Darci Brahma has a better record at 1400m and beyond, but Walker said the horse could still be suited with a strong pace.
"The Telegraph is run a bit likea 1400m race," said Walker.
Darci Brahma, the mount of Opie Bosson, has drawn 10 in a field of 14 but Walker said it would probably not be much of a disadvantage.
"I don't think so. He's going to end up mid-field or back of mid-field anyway."
Darci Brahma goes into the Telegraph fresh. He has not raced since being unplaced in the Toorak Handicap (1600m) in Melbourne on October 14.
Previously he had twice run second in group one races at the Hawkes Bay spring carnival at Hastings.
He beat all but Seachange in the group one $200,000 Mudgway Stakes (1400m) on September 2 and three weeks later went down to the same horse in the $150,000 Stoney Bridge Stakes (1600m).
Seachange, a rival again today, was beaten 2 1/2 lengths by Darci Brahma in a 1200m trial at Paeroa on January 9 but Walker said he was not putting much emphasis on the result.
"A trial is a bit different to raceday. I don't think you can read too much into that.
"A trial is a trial. No one's going there to break their necks, are they?"
Walker said the Danehill four-year-old stallion had worked well - "he always works well, he's just a good galloper" - and had to be rated in the top three chances, with Seachange and Gee I Jane.
Seachange is also resuming today. She has not raced since being unplaced in the Emirates Stakes (1600m) in Melbourne on November 11.
A week earlier she beat all but Lyrical Bid in the group one A$500,000 Myer Classic (1600m) in Melbourne.
Seachange was among the top performers at Hastings in the spring, winning the Mudgway and the Stoney Bridge before finishing third in the $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) on October 7.
The Cape Cross four-year-old mare is unbeaten in two starts at 1200m and races well fresh. She was a $5.50 third favourite yesterday while second favourite was Gee I Jane at $4.20.
Gee I Jane won last year's Telegraph and went on to score at group one level over 1200m in Brisbane when winning the A$300,000 weight-for-age BTC Sprint in May.
The six-year-old Jahafil mare racked up her third second placing in the group one $200,000 Railway Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 1 at her last start.
That performance was slightly disappointing in that she could not run down the winner, Donna Rosita, who went into the event as just a two-races winner, but Gee I Jane did run home strongly from the rear.
Ironically the rider of Gee I Jane today is Lisa Cropp, who rode Donna Rosita to win the Railway.
- NZPA
