Trainer waits on weather word from Trentham
We are keen to go because it is a Group 1 and they are both fit and racing so well. Roger James
An early morning phone call to a trusted adviser might decide whether trainer Roger James has two starters in tomorrow’s $200,000 Captain Cook Stakes.
James and training partner Robert Wellwood find themselves in a tricky position as they know both favourite Concert Hall and Hypnos could win the big Group 1 mile but they want at worst a slow8 track, with a slow7 a lot more preferable.
But Trentham was a heavy10 last night and James doesn’t have the luxury of knowing what conditions they can expect before they decide to load the pair on to a transporter for the long trip south from Cambridge to Wellington this morning.
“The float is due to leave at 8am so we will do our best to get a track appraisal before then,” says James.
“We are lucky that Hypnos’ owner Ron Dixon is actually a former president of the Wellington Racing Club and knows the track really well so we can rely on him for an honest opinion on what it is doing, as well as the weather.
“At this stage we are keen to go and hope that the track comes back to a 7 or an 8 but we will get Ron’s opinion first because it is a long trip to send horses on, if the track is going to be heavy.”
Hypnos, who has been strong in all three runs this season, has won on heavy going but that was when getting a perfect run.
James believes he will struggle should it be heavy tomorrow and he has even less faith in Concert Hall handling it heavy.
“The worst run of her career was on a heavy track,” says James.
“We are keen to go because it is a Group 1 and they are both fit and racing so well.”
So who would be the better chance if the Wellington weather plays its part and Trentham gets back to the mid-range?
“I honestly don’t know,” says
James.
“It might come down to the tempo. If they go slow, then Concert Hall might struggle from back in the field whereas Hypnos could be closer to the speed.
“Danielle (Johnson) said Hypnos could have won by a lot more last start but he started to cruise when he got to the lead. If he had concentrated and won by three or four [lengths], he may be a lot shorter in the market.”
Punters and bookies are just as confused as James and Wellwood looking at the weekend’s racing highlight with horses like Aimee’s Jewel and Rock On Wood being backed in the Captain Cook to handle the possible heavy track, while Deerfield would handle the wet but 1600m might be a bridge too far for the sprinter.
While the James/Wellwood stable can’t be confident heading into the Captain Cook, James is very pleased with One More Time as she prepares for race three at Ellerslie tomorrow.
“She was very good winning last start and can do it again, even up in grade,” says James.