By MIKE DILLON
If Call Me Zeus is threequarters as good as trainer Wally Gulliver believes, he will win the $20,000 Steinlager 1600 at Ellerslie tomorrow.
Gulliver rates Call Me Zeus a potential weight-for-age horse in the spring and with that scenario in mind will spell the horse immediately after tomorrow's race. Even though Call Me Zeus is going for four straight, he will need to be good to win. He is having his first start at 1600m and has 57kg topweight.
"I'm not so much worried about the distance, I'm sure he'll get the 1600m, but I am worried about the 57kg, that's a fair bit of weight over 1600m."
There will be no problems with the conditions. Call Me Zeus had not started on a heavy track before he lined up on the fetlock-deep footing at Rotorua last start and won by five and a quarter lengths.
There are some interesting 3-year-olds against Call Me Zeus. Bi Bi Bankers is unbeaten in two starts on heavy tracks, but has not raced since December; Okiwi Bay is highly rated and can be forgiven his failure on the Rotorua track and Garaina has looked extra smart winning his last two on heavy tracks in the Central Districts, but has to race right-handed for the first time.
Don't be put off by Indian Chant's ordinary formline in the $30,000 Lion Red Handicap.
He is a lot fitter for his three races this campaign and with 54kg, looks more comfortable in the handicap than in recent starts. He has been running on over shorter distances and the 1600m here should suit.
*Foxman makes his Australian debut in the $A40,000 Even Stevens Handicap at Sandown tomorrow.
The rugged Kiwi stayer has 58kg topweight in the 2465m event, but will have the benefit of a 2kg apprentice allowance.
Foxman is in Australia to mix flat and jumps racing and will appreciate the conditions at Sandown, more than he did the heavy footing in the Rotorua Cup.
Racing: Weight concern for classy Zeus
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