Rising star Risk likely starter at Kaikoura

Waikato trainers Andrew and Lyn Neal are likely to start Risk in a $50,000 4-year-old race at Kaikoura on November 2.

Risk chalked up his seventh win in 16 starts when taking out Friday night’s Te Awamutu Cup at Cambridge. He showed his class by coming around his rivals from the 600m and maintaining a strong run to the finish in the hands of Todd Mitchell.

The son of Changeover broke briefly after pacing away for several strides.

‘‘He got a fright when he heard the other ones following [from handicaps],’’ Lyn Neal said.

Risk will have another standing start race, the Holmes DG for C4-OC horses over 2700m, at Alexandra Park on October 16. The Kaikoura feature, of 2400m, is for C2-6 4-year-olds from a stand.

‘‘He’s a very exciting horse and there’s a lot coming up for him,’’ Neal said.

Art Form cemented plans to race at Cup Week in Christchurch by winning a Sires’ Stakes heat in the red-hot time of 1:53 (one mile) at Cambridge on Friday.

Pukekohe co-trainer Steven Reid and driver David Butcher agree Art Form has improved significantly this season.

‘‘What I liked about his Cambridge win was he’s gone 53 and worked the hardest [in front],’’ Reid said. ‘‘This guy has definitely stepped up.’’

Art Form will have one or two more starts in the north before the $170,000 Sires’ Stakes Final at Addington on November 10. Reid won the final and the Cambridge heat with Gold Ace in 2010.

New Zealand Cup nominee Te Kawau (C8) and Alta Leroy (C3) leave the Palmerston North stable of Stephen Doody on Wednesday bound for Christchurch.

They will stay at Jim Curtin’s stable for Canterbury campaigns. Both will attend the Motukarara workouts on Saturday, with Te Kawau going on to the Canterbury Classic at Addington seven nights later. Neither of the stablemates has raced this season.

Te Kawau’s latest start resulted in a second behind Sky Major in the 4-year-old geldings and entires’ race at the Harness Jewels in Ashburton in May.