Adventador at the Guy Lowry stables. PHOTO/Paul Taylor
WHAT'S in a hundred metres here and there when it comes to thoroughbred horse racing?
It seems quite a fair bit, if you ask Grant Cullen who co-trains Adventador with fellow Hastings mentor Guy Lowry.
"He's a good chance [of winning] but he's never gone more than 1200m before," says Cullen before the 7-year-old gelding lines up in a modest field of five in the feature race, Russell Roads City of Hastings Cup, at 3.58pm tomorrow in Hastings.
The annual New Year's Race Day meeting features eight races from 12.52pm.
Cullen says the 1300m cup race will be a "big test" and a "big ask" of Adventador who will be carrying 60kg jockey Hayden Tinsley in the Open handicap dash.
"It can be quite a lot for him [Adventador] because he had a breathing operation years ago so that's why he hasn't gone beyond 1200m."
The Fast 'n' Famous (Australia)-sired gelding, out of Kiwi dam Alpine Beauty, has had his fair share of problems before entering the competitive arena.
"He had issues with his wind pipe before he even started racing," says Cullen, revealing the horse has screws in his leg after breaking it.
But Adventador is no mug on the track. He boasts six victories and as many second placings in 22 outings have led to a tougher rating 96 in tomorrow's $15,000 race.
His career earnings of $124,275 with three first placings stem from the 2012-13 season although this season (2015-16) he has had two second places and a third from four outings.
Lowry/Cullen are nominating him for the group one JR & N Berkett Telegraph in Wellington on January 16.
He finished sixth at the Telegraph last January over the preferred 1200m distance.
"Nothing went wrong. He raced very well on that day but the other horses were better," says Cullen of a big horse he described as "lovely, having a beautiful nature and it's a pleasure to be around him at the stables".
The co-trainer picks Chambord, with apprentice Leah Hemi in the saddle, to provide the stiffest challenge tomorrow.
Matamata's Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards train the 5-year-old Bay gelding that Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan bred, sired out of Zabeel (New Zealand) from the dam Miss Montjeu (NZ).
The Karaka Millions-registered Chambord has been nominated for the group one Harcourts Thorndon Mile at Trentham on January 23.
Hastings trainer John Bary has Mae West in the Hastings Cup but doesn't have any expectations from the 5-year-old mare who Robert Hannam (54kg) will ride from barrier two with the lowest rating 81 in the field.
"She's a battling horse but she's not in the same class," says Bary of the Mesdames R Laffey and M Wallace-bred mare.
It'll be a hectic day tomorrow for Lowry and Cullen who have nine horses at the Hastings meeting.
Their other key horse is Chic, starting from barrier four with jockey Hannam in the 1600m Shorty Cullen Memorial Mile at 4.33pm.
The 3-year-old filly "should race very well" in the $10,000, rating 75 miler in a field of 11, including Lowry/Cullen's Broadwalk and a 62kg Hemi from barrier 10.
Chic has been nominated for the group one Levin Classic on January 16 at Trentham and then the group one Wellfield New Zealand Oaks at the same venue on March 19.
She is coming off two victories, in October and December 10, over 1600m.
Napier-based apprentice Miranda Dravitzki will ride Lowry/Cullen's stayer, Powerade, over 2100m in race one, Thorne Golden Wedding Anniversary, at 12.52pm.
Hastings trainer Paul Nelson's Ooee (jockey Dylan Mo) and Runny Honey (Hemi) are also in the field of nine in the rating 65 race.
In the maiden filly/mare 1400m race two, NZB Insurance Pearl Series, Hastings trainer Patrick Campbell's hopes ride on Hoskins (Hemi) in a field of 11 at 1.30pm.
Lowry/Cullen return in race three, the rating 65 Robyn Mactaggart Cup, at 2.08pm over 1400m with Rocky Ride (Mo), wearing a tongue tie, in a field of eight.
It's the 1200m Stella Artois for maiden 3-year-olds at 2.46pm with Bary's Savatag (Jonathan Riddell), Lowry/Cullen's My Tommy (Johnathan Parkes) and Campbell's Richie Rox (Dravitzki) in contention in a field of eight.
At 3.23pm, Hemi will grab the reins of The Knight's Queen for Lowry/Cullen in race 5, Best Travel 1200 while Kane Smith is in the saddle of Campbell's Karaka Millions-registered Don't Change in a field of 11 of the rating 75 1600m race.
The day ends with the Roger Russell and Charlie Kennan Memorial maiden 1600m from a 5.13pm start.
Lowry/Cullen's Lamborghini (Hayden Tinsley) and Campbell's Keep Us Happy (Dravitzki) will fly the flag for the Bay in a field of 11.