Moozoon has proud record to protect for McKee
STEPHEN McKEE hasn’t lost a race at Tauherenikau for decades.
The Auckland trainer has made only occasional appearances at the Wairarapa track but has made them count.
He will be seeking a Wairarapa Breeders’ Stakes hat-trick when he starts Moozoon in the $50,000 listed 1600m today.
McKee won the race in 2004 with Belle Femme and in 2008 with Pams Pompallier. Those have been his only runners on the track over that period.
He had a runner before 2004 but estimated after Belle Femme’s win that it had been at least 10 years earlier.
He is sticking with a proven formula today, with Central Districts jockey Hayden Tinsley engaged for Moozoon.
Tinsley has a good record with McKee. He partnered Pams Pompallier in her Tauherenikau victory and his other wins for the stable include the 2008 New Zealand Oaks on Boundless.
‘‘He hasn’t ridden for us that often but we always seem to have a bit of luck with him,’’ McKee said.
Moozoon, one of only two 4-year-olds in the Breeders’ field, has a good strike rate, with six wins from 16 attempts. She established her class last summer when beating Miss Selby and Costa Viva in the Group III Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.
She then beat Sports Illustrated in a 3-year-old race at New Plymouth before finishing second in the Sunline Vase (2000m) at Ellerslie and fifth in the New Zealand Oaks (2400m).
She failed to run the distance in the Oaks and has been kept to sprint distances this term. She won fresh up in September before finishing a close fourth in the Group III Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes. She has had two wins and three placings from six starts as a 4-year-old and carried 59kg when beating a small field in a rating 85 1400m at Trentham at her last start.
‘‘Everything has been on song since Trentham,’’ McKee said. ‘‘This looks a good race for her.
‘‘She has to get past Waikaha, who has been racing well in good company, but they look the two main chances.’’
TAB bookmakers agree with McKee’s assessment and Moozoon and Waikaha opened as $2.80 equal favourites yesterday.
Spitfire Lady, who raced at the Melbourne spring carnival, finished eighth in the Group I Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham at her last start and was at $7, with her stablemate The Last Shower at $8.
Moozoon will be McKee’s sole runner today but he will start Dazzling Lady, Spin Doctor and The Grinner at the premier meeting at Te Rapa tomorrow.
Spin Doctor is making his Group I debut in the Waikato Sprint (1400m) but is racing on his favourite track and has been kept safe in the market, at $10.
He has had six wins and three placings from 11 runs at Te Rapa and has won more races – 11 – than any of his rivals.
‘‘He’s suited by weight-for-age now and wasn’t well off at the weights last start [in the Rich Hill Mile],’’ McKee said. ‘‘He should be competitive but I would like to see the sting out of the track, otherwise the topliners might be a bit quick for him.’’
Two-year-old Dazzling Lady, who is part-owned by Colin Meads, hasn’t raced since December 3, when she was the runner-up to Karaka Million placegetter Selfie.
The Grinner, a brother to the dual Group I winner The Jewel, is a slow maturing stayer who should be competitive in the rating 65 2100m.
Duquesa and Benzini will dominate the market for the rating 85 Wairarapa Cup (2050m) at Tauherenikau. Both are dropping back from group company and Duquesa, who opened as a $2.20 favourite, is well placed at the weights and will get 5kg from Benzini, who opened at $3.
Duquesa, a daughter of Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal, ran third in the Manawatu Cup two starts back and produced a respectable effort when sixth in the City Of Auckland Cup.
She will be ridden by premiership leader Matt Cameron, who will also partner Waikaha.