Bid to kick out of maiden ranks

Senior northern rider Leith Innes will be at Manawatu today, in part to try to help dad Gerald get Lets Go Fratelli out of maiden ranks.

The son of Pins has been in the Innes barn at Opaki for some months and put in decent efforts at his last two outings.

At Woodville in mid-March, Lets Go Fratelli ran out of puff only in the last 100m of the 2100m journey, leading for most of the way but tiring to be fourth.

He challenged at Tauherenikau but again wilted in the last 100m to finish midfield.

Today he drops back in distance to 1600m in the day's first race and could make a good showing despite drawing the 10 alley.

Among his rivals will be Canso, trained by Opaki by part-owner Herb Renall.

Canso has drawn nicely at two and battled on fairly at Trentham last Saturday when resuming, to finish midfield. The 4-year-old mare will have the services of Craig Grylls today.

Wairarapa's interest in race two, a maiden 2-year-old, centres on a first starter Miss Rule.

This Bachelor Duke filly from an Epidaurus mare is trained at Awapuni by Roydon Bergerson but is owned by Justice Lowell Goddard, who has connections with Greytown.

Although on debut, by all accounts the filly has ability and placed second out of seven in a 2yo catchweight trial at Otaki in late February.

She has drawn 11 in the 1200m event, though, so will need luck to feature in the finish.

Gerald Innes has veteran Blame Me entered in the last on the card, the Power Farming Handicap over 1600m.

Now a 9-year-old, Blame Me hasn't been to the races since last winter, when racing over sticks, so no one will blame him for failing to finish in the money here. He is owned by his trainer, and Leith Innes will take the mount.

Although highly unlikely to add to his five career wins here, Blame Me could work his way into form in time to feature over jumps in winter and it will be interesting to see if his trainer contemplates starting him over steeples, as opposed to hurdling him.

The feature race will be the weight-for-age NZ Bloodstock Insurance Manawatu Breeders, over 2000m.

This has drawn a maximum field, with one emergency, and on-paper has no standout winner.

I like the look of northern visitor Chaparrone from the McKee stable at Ardmore, providing Leith Innes his main ride of the day.

Chaparrone had won 3 of 12 and never puts in a bad one. She was just nabbed by the classy Guns at Five at Trentham in March, and has drawn well.

One to test her could be the improving Misty Heights, a dual acceptor but balloted out in the earlier race.

She is prepared at Foxton by Grant Laursen and won impressively at good odds at Tauherenikau five starts back. Misty Heights was putting in well in the closing stages of a Rating 75 on this track on March 31, finishing runner-up to San Pedro.