You start at the top of the page in weight-for-age races.
That's why No 1 Sedecrem and No 2 Millennium should dominate tomorrow's $50,000 Platinum Homes Tauranga Stakes.
The million dollars they have won between them is roughly the same as collectively the nine opposition runners have collected.
Millennium, the
winner of this race last year, came back to winning form on Melbourne Cup Day at Ellerslie and is poised beautifully with his record of four wins from nine starts at Tauranga.
Sedecrem is a different story.
His form on paper looks ordinary, but don't be fooled.
Trainer Richard Yuill would desperately like to see something of the old Sedecrem, but knows it's a matter of patience.
"It's easy to say he might be past his best, but he finished 4 1/2 lengths from the winner in the Stradbroke Handicap in Brisbane, came home and spelled then struck a wet track that was absolutely no use to him over 1200m at Rotorua first-up.
"He then had to carry 59.5kg in a handicap at Avondale and blew like hell afterwards.
"This time it is weight-for-age and while I expect him to improve with the run, this start will tell us what we can expect of him this preparation."
The key is the weight-for-age scale - in a handicap Sedecrem would be giving all but Millennium a lot of weight.
Co-trainer Trevor McKee continues to be astounded at how, as an older horse, Millennium has shown a preference for firm footing rather than the mud he loved as a younger racehorse.
Ralph Manning, fresh from his 1000 Guineas win with Seachange, will be anxious to see something better from the talented Magnetism.
