By MIKE DILLON
A couple of veterans with nearly a quarter of a million dollars in the bank hold the key to the $12,000 Schofield Holden Barina at Ellerslie tomorrow.
Although looking at their form you may not think so.
Barshu, form: 409007 and Manchu Warrior: 094634, have the ability to take this race easily in their best form.
And their respective camps believe the pair are in exactly that condition, with only one excuse - Manchu Warrior needs a track that is not too heavy.
Barshu's lack of form can be traced back to the fact he nearly died as a 4-year-old.
"His immune system has been shot to bits ever since and he seems to catch everything that's going," said trainer Warren Robinson.
"He got a bit of a virus early in the winter and that's why he hasn't raced a lot lately and it's taken him so long to get fit."
Barshu looked an improver when only two lengths away in seventh place behind Jolly Rodger at Matamata last start after covering plenty of ground around the field, a race Robinson missed because he was in Sydney to watch the All Black test.
That was only the fourth start this campaign for the rising 9-year-old who can be expected to be even fitter this time.
A very heavy track would probably result in Manchu Warrior being withdrawn, but trainer Brian Hedley is so confident he has the horse back to his best that he is hoping to get the right conditions.
"I raced him at Ellerslie over Queen's Birthday weekend and he didn't handle the heavy footing at all - he was the first horse beaten.
"Since then I have given him two starts on reasonably good tracks and he has really fired.
"He is as fit as I can get him and I am very keen to run him, but I wouldn't ask him to race if it's too heavy."
Barshu does not mind how heavy or testing the track gets and looks the main danger.
Master Pom was beaten into seventh when he stepped up to this open company here two starts back.
However, he was swamped that day after leading, because the pattern of racing that day was right against him.
Master Pom came back to win in slightly easier company than this at Tauranga and as a horse on the way through, deserves real consideration.
In a race where veterans may well dominate, Reap Gold and Petanque rate as upset chances.
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