Cup hopeful hard to guess

Chris Harris is never quite sure what to expect from Wise Move.

The Amberley trainer said the lightly-raced seven-year-old is his own worst enemy, but on his day capable of matching it in open company.

“You just wouldn’t know with him, he’s a quiet horse and can spook at anything,” Harris said.

“That’s half the trouble and you don’t really know what he’s going to do.”

Wise Move was in the right mood at his most recent appearance when he charged home to win on the closing day of the Christchurch winter carnival and Harris is hoping for a repeat in the Crombie and Price Oamaru Cup today.

“I’m hoping so, he pulled up as good as gold and he’s worked well,” he said. “The only worry is the smaller track. He likes Riccarton and needed every inch of that long straight last time.”

The winner of four of his 21 starts, Wise Move will be partnered by apprentice Hayley Bennet, who will be hoping for a turnaround in her fortunes with the son of Towkay.

The 23-year-old was on the easy list for a period after parting company with Wise Move during trackwork leading up to the Grand National meeting.

“They were pulling up and he spooked at something and he went one way and Hayley another,” Harris said.

He has no firm plans post-Oamaru, but is keen to step Wise Move up in distance.

“We’ll try to get him to Cup week at Riccarton. He can handle firmer tracks, but they obviously go a bit quicker and he’d need a bit further than a mile,” Harris said.