By MIKE DILLON
Some mornings Mr McGerkle feels like an approaching veteran, but he won't at Avondale tomorrow.
The tough mudder is rising seven years old, but against a rising 11-year-old in All In Fun and a rising 12-year-old at Avondale he'll put an extra slice of zing in his step.
The question is whether he can muster enough zing to hold out the nearly 12-year-old Sir James.
The old grey gelding is entitled to his regal stance - winning 18 races is no mean feat when you consider in 88 starts he has been unable to win one on firm footing.
Not that that will be a problem tomorrow.
Like the rest of Auckland, the Avondale track was waterlogged by Wednesday night's rain and this should be a tough slog. Sir James was running on well at the end of the 1400m at Tauranga last Saturday and the 1600m this time should suit perfectly.
Worth noting is that from 13 Avondale starts, Sir James has recorded four wins and eight placings.
The wetter the track and the harder the slog, the better Mr McGerkle will like it. He fought hard when just topped off by Clarify two starts back and his fourth to Te Atatu Chap last time was not a bad run.
Clarify has hit the best form of his career and will run out a solid 1600m, while Meteorite is making a big step up in class after solid form on winter tracks in the intermediate grades.
If Mr McGerkle can win the feature, trainer Charlie Faulkner has a top chance of tearing off the TAB double with Stylish Prospect engaged in the second leg, the Edgar Henson Handicap.
The tough gelding excells in the worst winter footing and the guide to this was his game second to Yes Or No at Elleslie two starts back. His subsequent fourth to the same horse was just as good a performance.
He jumps to 58kg topweight, but this field is not as strong as he has been running against.
Rodney Red is a game winter type and an interesting runner is locally-trained Interlaced. He made the step to open company with a good third to Yes or No at Ellerslie and two of his three wins have been at Avondale.
Racing: Zing should close out veterans
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