Racing: Trainer talks down chances

Matamata trainer Mark Walker is not expecting a fresh-up win from last season's champion filly Shikoba at Taupo today.

Class and a 2kg allowance from stable apprentice Troy Harris will take the NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year close in the Haunui Farm Stallions 1200 against R92 rivals.

But Walker warns punters against making her the win favourite for a sixth successive time.

"She'll race well, but I'd be surprised if she won over 1200m," said Walker. "She's still woolly in the coat and will improve with the run."

Walker said Shikoba has strengthened a treat since a close-up eighth in the New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in March, but hasn't grown a centimetre during her break.

"It just goes to show she must have a really brave ticker," he said.

Walker has a feeling her pet distance this campaign will be 2000m and is gearing her early-season assignments to peak for the Kelt Capital Stakes over that trip at Hastings on October 7.

To avoid flattening her before then, it's unlikely he'll ask her to front in the Hawkes Bay carnival's main lead-ups, the Mudgway Partsworld Stakes (1400m) on September 2 and the Stoney Bridge Stakes (1600m) three weeks later.

A five-race winner from 1200m to 2000m, Shikoba was at $20 for both of those races on the TAB's fixed-odds market yesterday.

"Rather than have three gut-busters, I'd rather get her ready for the Kelt [October 7] closer to home," said Walker. "That would be a lot of travelling for a mare to go to Hastings each time. I'm just not sure which races yet. We'll see how she goes at Taupo."

Walker is pinning his Mudgway hopes instead on last season's top-rated 3-year-old Darci Brahma, who also makes an appearance at Taupo today.

An impressive winner at the Te Teko trials on August 1, Darci Brahma continues on the Hastings road with a 1200m exhibition gallop alongside stablemate Zarius.

"I'm very happy with him [Darci Brahma]," said Walker of the TAB's $4 fixed-odds Mudgway favourite.

"If he strikes a reasonably good track at Hastings I think he'll be hard to beat.

"He has a great fresh-up record and I think 1400m could be his pet distance at 4."

Meanwhile, exciting 3-year-old Redbreb could be Walker's best win hope today when he resumes in race five against strong R76 opponents.

Walker said he's on trial for a next-up run in the Wanganui Guineas.

Danehill filly Terrior (race three) will also improve with the run, and when she gets up over more ground.

But the way she raced in listed grade last season and won an 800m trial at Te Teko recently bodes well for a fresh-up win in second-rate company.