Endless Drama scores handy draw
Te Akau Shark heads star-studded field at Te Rapa
The placement of the Te Rapa rail could prove a huge advantage for Endless Drama as he tries to hold the young guns at bay in the first major race of the thoroughbred season at Te Rapa on Saturday.
The well-travelled veteran has opened the $6.50 fourth favourite for a wonderful edition of the US Navy Flag Foxbridge Plate, a rare late winter treat for New Zealand punters.
The race brings together Horse of the Year in waiting Melody Belle, her super-exciting stablemate Te Akau Shark and the find of winter in Helena Baby, with a support cast of group race winners headed by Consensus, Authentic Paddy, Santa Monica, Sentimental Miss and Seventh Up.
That line-up makes it one of the deepest flat races held in the New Zealand winter in a decade but so huge is the hype around Te Akau Shark he opened a $2.20 favourite and immediately attracted a $10,000 bet. That is even more remarkable when you consider the deeds of Melody Belle since she won this race last season and the fact Endless Drama ran third in the Stradbroke last start yet Te Akau Shark has to carry the same weight.
But Endless Drama’s trainer Tony Pike says while Te Akau Shark is the horse to beat, his well-travelled veteran could be suited by the Te Rapa rail returning to the true position on Saturday.
Te Rapa’s troubled track hasn’t had the rail in the true since June 8, having raced with it out 10m, 7m and
4m in their last three meetings.
That means the inside ground should be the smoothest and Pike is hoping that aids Endless Drama from barrier two, whereas the other three favourites are drawn alongside each other at barriers 10-12.
“It is hard to predict how Te Rapa is going to race but with all that new ground down in the inside it might be hard for those trying to come wide,” says Pike.
“I think our fella will be three back or somewhere like that in the first six and close enough to the rail, which is where the good ground should be.
“But I am hoping there is no more rain. He has solid form in Europe on wet ground but we haven’t tried him on heavy here and that is a little bit of a concern.
“So while it may not dry out a lot more, I don’t want it to get any worse.
Like Te Akau Shark, Endless Drama has trialled well recently and will strip a fit horse with the benefit of his winter Queensland campaign.
“He can win and I am really happy with him, but Te Akau Shark is the one to beat.
“Then you have the really interesting horse in the race in Helena Baby because we know he is very fit. How he races at this level will be interesting.”
Melody Belle was the hard horse for bookies to price up as she is the queen of New Zealand racing and not only won the Foxbridge last season but the group one BCD Sprint at Te Rapa in February nosing out subsequent two-time Australian group one winner Bostonian.
She looked a year older and therefore not as sharp in her recent Te Rapa trial so plenty will be willing to bet against her on Saturday especially as of her 11 career wins, only one has come when she was drawn wider than barrier seven.
How much a disadvantage her outside barrier 12 becomes might depend on how the track races. But if Melody Belle can overcome her draw, a lazy trial and plenty of fellow group one winners at a distance short of her absolute best, she will cement herself as clearly our best galloper.
● Meanwhile, Pike and owner David Archer are leaning toward a sprinting-based programme for Bostonian this spring.
The Doomben 10,000 winner has options in both Sydney and Melbourne but is more likely to have a four-race campaign starting with the Moir Stakes at The Valley on September 27. “He will probably stick to a 1000-1200m race because there aren’t any 1400m races for him in Victoria by the time he returns,” says Pike.