Start Wondering draws OK
The favourites have experienced contrasting luck in the draw for the Group I Telegraph at Trentham.
Favourite Start Wondering has drawn reasonably at 14 but Robert Smerdon’s Australian visitor Odyssey Moon has the horror gate 19.
Railway winner Start Wondering was $4 before the draw and assumed favouritism ahead of Railway runner-up Perfect Fit ($5), southerner First Serve ($6) and Australian raider Odyssey Moon ($7) after pre-post favourite Xtra vagant was withdrawn. Newcomer Luna Rossa was a $12 quote.
Out of that group Perfect Fit (1) and First Serve (4) fared the best in the draw while Luna Rossa will jump from barrier 16.
Trainers Evan and JJ Rayner are happy enough with the favourite’s gate, but happier with his condition going into the $250,000 feature.
‘‘It [ the draw] could have been better,’’ JJ Rayner said. ‘‘But he can jump and hopefully put himself in the race from there.
‘‘If he gets some cover he will hopefully get a nice run – it could have been worse, he should be okay from there.’’ Johnathan Parkes has the job of securing a good trip for the horse who has pleased his trainers since his Railway win.
‘‘He galloped really nicely yesterday [Tuesday],’’ Rayner said. ‘‘And he will have another quiet gallop tomorrow [Thursday] morning. We freshened him up a bit after Ellerslie and he’s really well – bright as a button.
‘‘Let’s hope he can get another one [Group I win].’’ Reilly Lincoln has hit career-best form this season for Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta who has two in the race.
He won the Stewards’ Stakes at Riccarton and finished a close third behind Telegraph rivals Start Wondering and Perfect Fit in the Railway Stakes and gets his chance this weekend from barrier six.
Stablemate Mighty Solomon, proven at Group I level, was a laststart third in the Manawatu Challenge Stakes, and jumps from gate 11.
Favoured runners have drawn well in the day’s other feature the 3200m Wellington Cupa part from last year’s winner Mister Impatience who will need to overcome barrier 18 in his quest to go back-to-back.
Queensland trainer Liam Birchley will spend the next little while in New Zealand.
On Saturday he will return to Trentham for the first time since his days as a stud groom for Cambridge’s Trelawney Stud at the national yearling sales, held for the final time at the venue in 1987
The difference this time he will be looking for a far bigger pay cheque with his runner Pop ’N’ Scotch in the $250,000 Wellington Cup (3200m).
Lack of suitable options at home, prompted Birchley to put his hardy stayer on a plane to give him a crack at the Kiwis.
If the horse runs well at Trentham he might stay around for the Auckland Cup (3200m) in March.
After Saturday’s race the trainer will spend time inspecting yearlings with an eye to making purchases at Karaka’s National Yearling Sales Series which begins on January 30.
The day before he will try to embellish his outstanding record in New Zealand’s richest 2-year-old race, the Karaka Million at Ellerslie.
Birchley first made his mark as a trainer in New Zealand in 2009.
Sarge In Charge finished runner-up in the Karaka Million and he was back a year later to go one better with Sister Havana.
He was again celebrating at Ellerslie in 2015 when Hardline powered home for expat jockey Damien Browne to nail Selfie in an exciting finish..
His runner this year is Ameridon.
He is currently seventh in the order of entry following a last-start victory in a maiden over 1000m at Tamworth on January 6.
‘‘Ameridon is physically well developed and looks ideally suited to target the Karaka Million,’’ Birchley said. ‘‘He’s a big, progressive horse and is screaming for further than he went last start.
‘‘I’m putting blinkers on him which should sharpen him up and he should go well.
‘‘I don’t think he’s as good as Hardline but he’s up to the others I’ve had in the race.’’
Meantime, Cambridge trainer Brendon Hawtin and top Australian jockey Hugh Bowman are hoping to go one better in Sunday week’s race.
They first combined in 2012 when Silk Pins, who was prepared by Hawtin and his father Keith, beat all but the Anthony Freedman-trained Ockham’s Razor and their hopes this time year rest with Padraig.
Padraig is part-owned by Tommy Heptinstall, who has also enjoyed past success with Bowman.
The Trent Busuttin-trained Sangster won the VRC Derby Heptinstall and partners with Bowman aboard.
‘‘Tommy said that if Padraig happened to make it through to the Karaka Million then Hugh would be our man,’’ Hawtin said.
Padraig confirmed his spot in the January 29 event with his impressive last-start win at Trentham.
‘‘I knew he had improved since his first start but he blew me away on Saturday,’’ Hawtin said.