Cambridge will upsize the first ever running of The Race after the NZ Government's relaxation of crowd restrictions.
That will see the April 14 slot race meeting fully open to the public and New Zealand’s biggest race meeting since the Karaka Million in January.
The meeting falls on the Thursday before Easter, the next day is a public holiday, and can now welcome as many general admission patrons as the club can attract.
The increased limit of 200 people per indoor function will have little affect on the Cambridge hospitality packages as their two main rooms, the Sky Lounge and the second floor lounge, have capacities of just over 200 anyway, so will simply rise to the 200 cap
“We can really open up now for the party so many people have been waiting for,” says Cambridge boss David Branch.
“If we are still at Level Red we can have four different rooms operating at 200 people each and plenty of outdoor space on what we think is the best viewing track in the country.”
The Race has also found a high-profile sponsors in drinks brand Grins, the ready-to-drink brand recently launched by All Blacks Stephen Donald, Anton Lienert-Brown and Damian McKenzie, whose trademark grin the brand is named after.
It will be known for the next three years as The Race by Grins.
Top trainer Cran Dalgety is facing one of the greatest challenges of his career preparing Krug for the $900,000 The Race at Cambridge next month.
And he is getting a mini preview of how that may play out as Remember Me heads to the $150,000 Pascoes Northern Oaks at Alexandra Park tomorrow.
Dalgety has won major races all over Australasia, so the pressure of Group 1 preps is nothing new to him, but he has been more tender loving carer than horse trainer this week.
Both Krug and Remember Me have returned from punishing Sydney campaigns that started well but ended poorly, needing to recharge and Dalgety says that means less is more.
“They both went super when they first got over there but then for either reasons of luck, which comes down to draws, or getting a bit tired, their form dropped off,” says Dalgety.
“So I am now in a phase of getting the best out of them by freshening them up, making them happy and trying to peak them again.”
For Krug that means missing Alexandra Park next Friday and maybe only trialing at Cambridge a week before The Race, the new slot race set to launch with a bang on April 14.
Krug was one of the favourites for The Race when taken early by Australian company Ladbrokes but his Sydney form drop off has seen him drift to $17 with the TAB, odds unlikely to shorten until at least the barrier draw since he won’t be taking on Self Assured, South Coast Arden, Mach Dan and Spankem at Alexandra Park on April 1.
“He was a bit flat when he got back from Sydney but is looking and feeling good now,” says Dalgety.
“But it they have a trial in between races at Cambridge a week out from The Race that is where we will head.
“He can race very well on the fresh side, as we saw when he came from a wide barrier to pace 1:49 to win fresh up in Sydney.”
Krug will have premiership winner Blair Orange in the sulky for The Race, with Tony Herlihy now confirmed for visiting Australian mare Spellbound (pictured) as The Race starts to take its final shape.
Self Assured is the NZ TAB $2.30 favourite for The Race, ahead of Mach Dan and South Coast Arden at $5.50 with Spankem the only likely starter yet to be confirmed for the April 14 event, his spot dependant on his performance on April 1.
South Coast Arden’s slot contract was finalised on Wednesday.
Dalgety’s softly-softly approach to Krug is being mirrored with Remember Me heading into tomorrow night’s Oaks, one of the four age-group features on Northern Derby night at Alexandra Park.
Remember Me, a daughter of champion mare Adore Me, had little luck in the back end of her Sydney campaign and then returned home to a torrid run in the Oaks Prelude at Alexandra Park last Friday.
She is good enough to test favourite True Fantasy tomorrow night and at her peak would be suited by the 2700m but a succession of hard runs has Dalgety trying to massage her to the race.
“We are freshening her up this week, trying to get her happy and then hopefully she can show her best.”
The Oaks is a form puzzle for punters as True Fantasy produced a career-worst performance last start and hasn’t trialled since, trainer Mark Purdon suggesting the severe dust in paddock at Pukekohe up until the weather changed last week had been affecting her.
At her best she would almost certainly win the Oaks, especially from barrier one, but with her recent defeat and some doubts over how screwed down she can be for tomorrow night True Fantasy could be tested early.
There are no such doubts about stablemate Akuta heading into tomorrow night’s $250,000 Woodlands Derby while both Young Guns finals have drawn small bit select fields, particularly the male pace.
Watch Michael Guerin and Greg O'Connor in The Box Seat:
The torrential rain that has caused havoc across the north of New Zealand over the last week may have saved True Fantasy’s $150,000 Pascoes Northern Oaks campaign.
Not because trainer-driver Mark Purdon is expecting or hoping for a wet track at tonight’s star-studded Alexandra Park meeting but because the autumn rain may have cured an ill affecting the Oaks favourite.
True Fantasy has been red hot for most of the Oaks build-up until she finished unplaced for the first time in her career last start against many of tonight’s rivals.
Purdon found both True Fantasy and open class stablemate Spankem had been troubled by their paddocks turning into dust bowls during the very dry end to the Auckland summer, causing respiratory issues.
“The dust got to the stage where every time they rolled in their paddocks there were standing in dust clouds after and breathing it in,” explains Purdon.
“It caused them both issues but after the rain came last Friday and dampened all that down they have been a lot better and we got them scoped (breathing examination) on Tuesday and True Fantasy was back to normal and Spankem almost there.”
While that hardly sounds an ideal build-up to tonight’s Oaks, especially over 2700m mobile, Purdon says True Fantasy’s work has been outstanding, it is just her high-end performance that was being affected.
“She is very well and feels ready to win but of course you have doubts over 2700m. But I know she is fit and well now and I think she is still the best filly.”
Aiding True Fantasy is the fact the next best filly in the Oaks, Remember Me has also been under a form cloud after a torrid NSW campaign. True Fantasy also has the ace draw.
That will see Purdon try and lead but even if she is crossed at the start True Fantasy has enough respect banked away to probably re-take the lead and from there it will take a good filly to beat her.
Still, with her interrupted preparation and short odds, those who want to back True Fantasy may be wise to have small saving investments on the likes of Mr Kaplan, Miki Montana or last Friday’s impressive prelude winner First Rose.
While True Fantasy has had her issues heading into the Oaks, stablemate Akuta looked spot on for tonight’s $250,000 Woodlands Northern Derby and should win.
He came from last to blow most of these rivals away last Friday and Purdon’s only concern is a likely tactically tricky Derby.
“I think Beach Ball will lead from barrier 1 and there will be no handing up so while we will be handy I’d like to have some cover starting the last lap,” he offers.
“But if we have to sit parked outside Beach Ball the last lap I’d like to think he could still win.”
Beach Ball was brave in last Friday’s prelude and being on the marker pegs is usually a huge Derby advantage but he will have plenty of swoopers in close attendance, including the greatly improved Bollinger potentially trailing him and he becomes the most likely upset win hope after a brave last-start Cambridge win.
Purdon was impressed with the debut run of Beckham last Friday and believes the juvenile can improve and be a winning hope in the Breckon Farms Final, the first major juvenile race of the season.
But his chances, in fact the whole race, may come down to who lands where after 400m as the 1700m dash will enormously favour the leader and trailer but be hard to win from any other position.
Zachary Butcher faces a series of vastly different challenges at Alexandra Park tonight but he is certain horsepower won’t be a problem.
The outstanding northern reinsman partners two favourites in Old Town Road and Merlin, a classy juvenile in Art D’or and a forgotten Derby runner in Major Perry and all has obstacles to overcome.
Butcher is confident at least two of them will.
Old Town Road is one of the most promising pacers in New Zealand but will start from the tricky barrier 1 off a 15m handicap in his first standing start, less than ideal for those taking the short odds.
“I don’t think it will matter,” says Butcher.
“I have driven a lot of good horses and he is open class material. And I think he will step away because he is so clean gaited.
“So while it is a new challenge I am not worried.”
Merlin is the favourite for the $75,000 Breckon Farms Final and has looked the fastest of our early season juveniles but has drawn outside main rivals Seve and Beckham.
“I don’t think we need to worry. They are nice horses but I have beaten Seve both times we have raced him and if we can get some cover I think my horse will have too much speed.”
Butcher says nothing went right for Art D’or last week but she can redeem herself with the potential to lead in the Crombie Lockwood Delightful Lady, but she will need to be good to beat Kahlua Flybye.
Major Perry has had an unusual prep for the Derby, finishing a brave second in the NSW Derby three weeks ago but missing his hometown prelude last Friday.
“I think the one (Beach Ball) will probably lead and then the rest of us will settle in single file until somebody moves but that could put me on the back of Akuta, which will suit me just fine.”
The opinions expressed in The Forum are those of the author and may not be attributed to or represent policies of Harness Racing Victoria, which is the state authority and owner of thetrots.com.au.