Racing: Walker won't back himself in last run at training record

Mark Walker had more focus on Queenstown's ski slopes yesterday than his Ruakaka team's nudging him closer to a record-breaking tally.

Despite having three fancied runners today in Primo Quest (race three), Regal Flame (race five) and Minqar Qaim (race eight), a holidaying Walker isn't backing himself to surpass the O'Sullivans' 1993/94 all-time season mark of 104.

His two Te Akau representatives on the first day of the Ruakaka carnival yesterday, the well-backed Miss Sivivatu and De Lago Dancer, failed to improve Walker's personal-best of 101.

And the champion Matamata trainer is taking an "if-it-happens-it-happens" approach for the remaining three weeks.

"We just don't have the numbers of runners - unless we happen to have a 100 per cent strike rate," said Walker from Queenstown yesterday.

"But I'm still very happy with the results we've had this season."

Walker, who was 13 clear of his previous best season total before Ruakaka began today and easily the country's biggest stake earner, rates Minqar Qaim the best hope of his trio.

The high-priced yearling won well at Ruakaka in the same grade over the same trip on June 17. He goes up 1kg in the handicap, but this field is no stronger.

The Gibbs/Logan-trained Bounce is the big danger. She'll appreciate the step up to 1600m and is rated a good winning hope by co-trainer Donna Logan.

The stable had one winner yesterday when Sun Spur raced home clear of his maiden rivals.

Walker also clashes with the same stable in the day's feature, the $50,000 Oceanz Seafood Breeders Stakes (1200m).

But although Regal Flame comes into the event with two impressive recent wins, Walker feels punters need to be circumspect about the colt's chances. "They can look good on paper, but horses racing at Ruakaka the first time either love it, or they don't.

"But I can't fault the horse; we'll just have to see if he's good enough."

Walker had originally intended to bypass Ruakaka's listed dash and set Regal Flame for the Ryder Stakes at Otaki on July 25.

"But Otaki could be really heavy by then, and I just felt that looking at the nominations he'd be competitive in this race."

Troy Harris gets a chance to finish a roller-coaster season on a high with his first raceday ride on the colt.

On a day typically dominated by the Gibbs/Logan team, Donna Logan rates maiden Mr Bertarelli (race one) as her best win hope, with Bounce, whom the stable scratched from an R80 1400m yesterday, as offering a little more value in the R80 1600m.

The Bruce Wallace-trained He's Heroic could be at false odds in race six.

He'll appreciate the step back up to 2100m and loves the sand-based surface where he won last September.