Racing: Trentham on agenda

Chad Ormsby. Photo / Natalie Slade

Chad Ormsby will attempt to strengthen his hand for this month's Platinum Homes Wellington Cup (2400m) when he saddles The Fire Inside in the Gallagher Group Marton Cup (2200m) at Awapuni tomorrow.

The Matamata conditioner, who trains in partnership with Melbourne-based Michael Moroney, was disappointed when the Sir Percy 4-year-old mare clipped heels and dropped rider Michael McNab in the City Of Auckland Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.

"The horse on the fence shifted out into her line and put her off balance and she clipped heels," Ormsby said.

"I'd been watching her closely and I thought it was just a matter of how far she was going to win by. Luckily, she didn't fall and we're positive she's 100 per cent.

"She's pretty well and we haven't had to do a lot with her since that race because she was pretty fit anyway."

The Fire Inside sits well down the order of entry for the Wellington Cup on January 24, though a win in the Marton Cup will give her automatic entry in the Trentham feature.

"We're taking it race by race with her because she's not qualified but if she wins on Saturday, she's in automatically," Ormsby said yesterday.

"The field isn't as strong as the City Of Auckland Cup and while there's some experienced older stayers in there, they are giving us weight, which gives her a big advantage."

The Fire Inside, who has won three of her 14 starts, will carry the 53kg minimum as she bids to join last year's winner Graphic in the Ballymore Stables arsenal for the Wellington Cup.

Graphic, who bounced back to form with a fourth placing in the Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, tackles the Stella Artois 2100 at Ellerslie tomorrow, as he tunes up for his Cup title defence.

"The Wellington Cup has been his main aim for the season.

"He was still a bit underdone last time but he hit the line nicely and he's where we want him to be," Ormsby said.

The Moroney-Ormsby partnership also has Waikato Cup winner and City Of Auckland Cup runner-up Surpass among the Wellington Cup entries, though he could yet target the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 7 instead.

The stable's other key runner this weekend is 2-year-old Lorde Royals, who will attempt to qualify for the Karaka Million (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 26 by winning Saturday's NZB Insurance Pearl Series 2yo (1200m) at Ellerslie.

- NZ Racing Desk