Weather worries Pike
Cambridge trainer Tony Pike hasn’t checked the weather forecast so regularly for a long time.
He’s just one of several trainers with favoured contenders in the three rich Group I races at Ellerslie on Saturday worried about what the fickle Auckland weather will throw at them.
On Friday afternoon as light rain began to fall in parts of the City of Sails, the Ellerslie track was rated a Dead 5, which would be more than acceptable to most contenders.
However, the forecast is all bad - Friday predicting rain, persistent in the afternoon with a risk of thunder accompanied by downpours and more rain on Saturday easing to showers, possible downpours.
That’s not what Pike is hoping for as he assesses the chances of Chenille, the early favourite for the $500,000 Group I Auckland Cup (3200m) after her dominant Nathans Memorial win last weekend.
The question around track conditions has seen her drift to $8.50 while recognised heavy track form has Megablast ($6) the new favourite ahead of others with wet track form, Jacksstar ($6.50), Five To Midnight ($6.50) and Mister Impatience ($8.50).
Meantime Pike has been considering alternatives for the mare he bred and co-owns with his parents Wayne and Vicki who put their long-time friends, Graeme and Jackie Capes in for a racing share.
‘‘Everything has gone perfect in her preparation,’’ Pike said. ‘‘ But the weather is a real worry and I don’t know what I’ll do.
‘‘It’s a hard one - if the track came up a Dead 6 or Slow 7 she will run, but if the rain comes and we are looking at a Slow 9 or gets to Heavy 10 I just don’t know.’’
If the heavy rain arrives Pike has been considering his options and they all lie across the Tasman.
‘‘We could give her one run leading into the Sydney Cup either in the Manion Cup [2400m] or Chairman’s Handicap [2600m],’’ he said.
‘‘Or alternatively we could give her a short break and look at Queensland.’’
Lack of suitable alternatives has forced the hand of New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock in another of the day’s Group I races.
His charge Kawi ($2.90) is favourite for the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) and Sharrock would prefer running his six-time Group I winner on a good track.
‘‘But there’s not a lot else around for him,’’ Sharrock said. ‘‘I’m worried about the weather but I don’t think any horses in the race will like it wet so it might come down to the toughest one winning.
Less worried is Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh who has Sofia Rosa ($4.80) in top order for the race and she will handle a wet track.
‘‘She will handle the track,’’ Marsh said.