By BARRY STREET
Keith Hawtin and Graeme Rogerson have the firepower at today's Waipa races at Te Awamutu to draw level with or even sneak a lead on Mark Walker for the New Zealand trainers' premiership.
Seven horses will represent the Tuhikaramea partners in six Te Awamutu races, and at least five of them are chances.
Mark Walker's team at Matamata is represented by only one, Better Succeed, fresh from having raced 28 times in Australia for three wins and six placings.
At midday yesterday Hawtin and Rogerson lay two wins in arrears of Walker - 51 to 53 - and equal with Paul O'Sullivan, of Matamata, on the premiership table.
Winning training titles is nothing new to Rogerson, who won three in the 1980s before he decided to set up a satellite stable in Sydney.
But Hawtin would not mind co-honours this time and probably deserves them after running the Tuhikaramea stable so efficiently whenever Rogerson has been across the Tasman.
Hawtin was yesterday hopeful of a win at Trentham with either St Petrus or Genuine Strike.
He was also "reasonably optimistic" about the chances of Danceform (R2), Indian Squaw (R3), Zomp (R4), Manntavani (R6), Penny Arcade and Westmagic (R8), Ruff Verdict (R9) and Sky Blue Lover (R10) at Te Awamutu.
"I figure, with the greater number of horses we have got to go round, we could grab the lead from Mark in the next fortnight," he said.
"If we could at least draw level this weekend, we could head him off next week.
"Mind you, it's all very well having the starters. You have also got to produce the winners. Mark's got them."
Hawtin also said he would not mind if the racing today were on much better footing than on recent bog tracks.
A prediction yesterday was that with no further rain the open sprinters at Te Awamutu could be going as fast as 1:12 or 1:13 for 1200m.
"It'll be no place for mudders," a local trainer pre-warned.
One of Hawtin's best chances is Manntavani, a 3-year-old who has become stronger as this season has progressed.
Manntavani won over 2100m on an easy track at Ruakaka two starts back and then finished a dogged fourth in heavy going at Te Rapa.
"Noel Harris [the jockey] reckons that, but for drawing No 1 at the start, he could also have won at Te Rapa," Hawtin said.
"Noel wanted to drag him right to the outside of the track but had too hard a job and wasn't able to get him there."
Comments about Hawtin's other chances were:-
Danceforme: Tsar Omar looks the one, but Danceforme has racing experience, which not many of the others have.
Indian Squaw: She's done nothing wrong, and the track should suit her.
Zomp: She has been ultra consistent and has to be one of our better chances because she has already won at Te Awamutu.
Penny Arcade: I like her. She has got a touch of class and has gone two beaut races this time in.
Westmagic: The track at Hastings last week was too fast for her.
Ruff Verdict: A runner's chance only.
Sky Blue Lover: She won two starts back and had an excuse last time. She was in season.
Racing: Waipa assault could push partnership into the lead
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