KEY POINTS:
Mark Walker says if he knew what Princess Coup would do in her first four strides he'd be able to provide a pretty good indication of where the mare would finish in tomorrow's $250,000 Stoney Bridge Stakes.
Unfortunately, he has no idea.
Last year's Kelt Capital Stakes winner has been tardy in the early stages of her races at various stages of her career.
One of those races was in the $250,000 Mudgway Partsworld Stakes at Hastings last start when she came from a long way off the pace to finish a respectable ninth.
That might not sound impressive, but with stablemate Insouciant creating a sit-and-sprint scenario in the lead, it made it extremely difficult for horses back in the field.
"She jumps away with them, but then she walks the next three or four strides," said Walker last night. "It's very frustrating."
Walker says he will try a trick that at times has worked on the classy mare.
"Tomorrow morning I'm going to put the blinkers on her and put her through the old wooden gates here at Matamata.
"That's mostly worked in the past, but generally only for one, sometimes two, races."
Walker also has Insouciant engaged. Last season's 1000 Guineas winner just missed the money when fourth in the Mudgway Stakes, but upset a few runners when she crawled early then turned on her customary second-half dash.
The barrier draws at one of the trickiest starting positions in New Zealand make this a very difficult race to assess.
With only a short (less than 100m) run to the bend out of the home straight, wide draws can often prove suicidal if inside runners are able to kick up and hold their position.
But knowing how the field will be positioned after 300m is as difficult as sorting out the winner.
Track conditions will play a major part. Rain early yesterday morning cleared for a time then returned in the afternoon.
"The track would have got out to say, 2.6, 2.7 with the early rain and what we get from here on will determine the footing for Saturday," said club spokesman Kim Treweek.
Showers are forecast for today.
