Racing: Win would save Oaks trip

Pulcinella has not won since taking the Avondale Guineas on December 3. Picture / Glenn Jeffrey

Don't be fooled into thinking Shikoba is using tomorrow's $150,000 Starcraft Stakes as a lead-up to next week's Oaks at Trentham.

That's because it's not a given the Filly of the Year will be at Trentham.

Trainer Mark Walker would like an excuse not to run Shikoba next week and if he gets the much-needed group one victory with the filly tomorrow, he might just have that reason.

Shikoba has had a long season and Walker has been clinging to the hope that she keeps going in top form.

So far there has been absolutely no sign of flagging on the part of the filly, but the thought of a long trip to Trentham, a gruelling 2400m race then the trip home fills Walker with dread.

"I don't know if I need to be taking her to Wellington," said Walker in frank mode yesterday.

Walker has the Queensland Oaks in June in mind for Shikoba and tomorrow's race is an important piece of the puzzle.

He is thinking of using the weight-for-age Doomben Cup as a Queensland Oaks lead-up and the Starcraft Stakes - Shikoba's first attempt at weight-for-age - will give him the perfect guide on how the filly copes with racing the older horses.

"Yeah, I'm thinking long-term with her."

Walker has had to tread a knife edge with Shikoba to have her fresh enough to run a sharp 2000m tomorrow, yet seasoned and hard enough for a very tough 2400m next week, if that option eventuates.

Shikoba is the current $3.50 favourite for the Oaks.

Xcellent was the first 3-year-old to win in years what was the old Air New Zealand Stakes, then the New Zealand Stakes, but through the 80s the race was dominated by 3-year-olds such as McGinty, Bonecrusher and Tidal Light.

With rick pickings in Sydney in the autumn, fewer young horses of that age have attempted the race in the last decade.

Class 3-year-olds have a whopping weight advantage - Shikoba will carry just 51kg, 7kg less than the older male runners.

And she is the type to take full advantage of it - she relaxes in her races, can position herself comfortably pretty much anywhere in a field and has a devastating finishing sprint underpinned by a great fight.

With Michael Walker in Melbourne riding Darci Brahma in the A$1 million Cadbury Guineas, Shikoba will be ridden this time by Lisa Allpress.

There is no doubting Allpress' talents, but there is always a slight question mark in having a first-time rider on any horse going into a group one race of this importance.

If things go wrong, one of the most crucial ingredients of these races is knowing exactly what a horse is capable of - and Allpress goes into this race without that advantage.

Shikoba has drawn awkwardly at 10 at Ellerslie's tricky 2000m barrier and if Allpress can land her home a winner don't begrudge her any of the applause.

Tactics play a huge part in weight-for-age racing and with Kristov in the field opposition trainers and jockeys have a fair idea of how the race will develop.

Kristov is certain to lead and there could be traffic problems immediately behind with a number of horses not wanting to be conceding Kristov too many lengths coming into the last quarter of the race.

Those sitting back in the field assuming Kristov, in his first 2000m race, will come back to them might be in for a surprise.

The luckless Pulcinella is the other 3-year-old in the race.

Pulcinella has not won in four starts since taking the Avondale Guineas on December 3, but she has had no luck at all.

Her two fighting seconds to Shikoba at the Ellerslie December/January carnival showed there was not a great deal between the pair.

Noel Harris, who has ridden both, agrees with that. Her fortunes have continued - she has drawn barrier No 12.