Distance an unknown for Latta
Lisa Latta will be much the wiser about Platinum Volos after the three-year-old’s black type debut at Otaki on Friday.
The Awapuni trainer is stepping into unknown territory with the son of Dalghar in the Group III Lucia Valentina Wellington Stakes (1600m).
Platinum Volos has made a bright start to his career with two wins and two placings from his six appearances, including a last-start second over 1400m at Riccarton behind the highly-regarded filly Savvy Coup.
‘‘He handled the better track down there, but it’s hard to know at this stage whether he will handle the mile at Otaki. It’s a question mark,’’ Latta said.
‘‘It’s a bit difficult to know if he was coming to the end of his run over the 1400m at Christchurch or not.
‘‘It was his first trip away and he has done well since he came home.’’
Masa Tanaka will have the task of guiding Platinum Volos’ fortunes from the outside gate in the Levin Racing Club’s feature.
‘‘The wide draw is a bit of a concern as well, we’ll just have to hope for a little bit of luck from out there,’’ Latta said.
Platinum Volos’ performance over the mile at Otaki will determine his summer programme, with the grey gelding eligible for the $1 million Karaka Million three-year-old Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 27.
‘‘We’re going to learn a lot more about the horse tomorrow and whether we look to take him to Auckland,’’ Latta said.
Meanwhile, Platinum Volos’s stablemate Mighty Solomon is well-placed in the handicap at Otaki on Friday to break a lengthy drought.
The seven-year-old will carry 53.5kg in the Listed Fasttrack Insurance Levin Stakes (1200m) in his quest for his first win since he was successful in an open handicap at Hawke’s Bay in February, 2015. ‘‘He’s got to a good place in the weights now and he has trained on very well since his last run,’’ Lisa Latta said.
Mighty Solomon, who has placed at Group I level, got home well at his most recent appearance at Awapuni for a close second behind Shadow Fox. He meets that runner a kilo and a-half better off on Friday.