KEY POINTS:
Jason Waddell was a relieved man walking out of the Trentham judicial room on Tuesday. Disappointed on one level, but overall relieved.
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing's recently introduced directive that suspended jockeys be allowed to ride in high profile upcoming races where there has been early fixed odds betting, saved the day.
NZTR believed that to lose a rider close to a big race, coupled with the fact early punters have backed a horse on the assumption it will be ridden by a certain jockey, was too big a downside
Waddell, rapidly resurrecting his career, is desperate to maintain his unbeaten record on Matamata filly Lovetrista in tomorrow's $325,000 NZ Bloodstock 1000 Guineas.
Waddell copped a five-day suspension at Trentham, which does not now start until the end of tomorrow's meeting.
He was charged with careless riding aboard the eventual winner Kirra Sand in the $70,000 Cuddle Stakes.
Lovetrista is the bench mark among the 3-year-old fillies.
She easily won Ellerslie's Soliloquy Stakes, beating Keepa Cruisin, and toppled that filly again in the Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa last start.
She got shuffled to the tail of the field in the first 50m of that race and had to show her class to win.
That set her up as the logical 1000 favourite and $1.90 is the best you can do around her at the moment with the TAB.
The game plan will almost certainly be similar to what it was at Ellerslie - sit up on the pace and kick hard from inside the 350m.
Lovetrista was aboard the flight to Christchurch on Wednesday and trainer John Sargent can find no fault with the filly's condition on arrival.
"She travelled down with Everswindell and has settled in very well," said Sargent.
"She had a nice walk this morning."
The Matamata trainer cannot come up with a reason why Keepa Cruisin will not be the one for Lovetrista to beat yet again.
At $15 at the TAB yesterday, Keepa Crusin looked easily the value bet.
"Our filly will be up in the first half dozen and even though Satinka isn't in the race this time, there should be a little bit of pace on.
"Mark Walker's two fillies can run along a bit."
Lovetrista was beaten by two noses on debut and has won her only other starts.
Anna Bek is the only unbeaten filly in the field, stepping up admirably as the class has increased each raceday.
There was much to like about the way she got over the top of a game leader Insouciant at Trentham.
It was only her third start and it's not unreasonable to expect she will be further improved as she approaches her biggest task.
* TAB market: $1.90 Lovetrista, $5 Anna Bek, $6.50 Double Or Nothin, $12 Insouciant, $14 Rathsallagh, $15 Keepa Cruisin, $18 Special Mission, $21 Lady Lucille, Oxford Aunt, $51 Emily Jane.
Trainer seeks fast pace for Double Or Nothin
Frank Ritchie doesn't think Double Or Nothin can win tomorrow's $325,000 NZ Bloodstock 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.
A month ago Ritchie was pretty chipper about his classy filly's chances.
What's changed his mind is the make-up of the field. "My filly is looking for 2000m already and for us to be a winning chance we really need some speed in the race," said Ritchie from Christchurch yesterday.
"With Satinka coming out of the race we probably lost the opportunity to see a really fast run race.
"Satinka would have led and almost certainly carted them along at a good clip.
"I doubt my filly can win because the race won't set up for her.
"But I'd be very very happy to be proven wrong."
Double Or Nothin finished two lengths (6th) behind tomorrow's hot favourite Lovetrista in the Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa on Labour Monday, the difference being the lovely run up the middle of the field Lovetrista received, whereas Double Or Nothin scouted wide. The jump from 1400m that day to tomorrow's 1600m and the big roomy Riccarton track are a plus.
Double Or Nothin has been ridden by three different jockeys in her three raceday appearances and the filly will have another switch with Andrew Calder taking the mount tomorrow.
