NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Racing

Racing: Youngsters may steal Easter eggs

NZ Herald
20 Apr, 2017 05:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Let Me Roar (purple) will carry the minimum 53kg in the Manco Easter tomorrow. Photo / NZ Racing Desk

Let Me Roar (purple) will carry the minimum 53kg in the Manco Easter tomorrow. Photo / NZ Racing Desk

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

In terms of historical record tomorrow's $200,000 Manco Easter Stakes at Ellerslie has been a race for tough, experienced horses.

Chocante and Let Me Roar have had a mere 17 starts between them, but don't be surprised if they share a major part of the group two spoils on offer.

The mighty Grey Way was having his 96th start when he won the 1977 version of the Easter beating, among others, winning machines Vice Regal, Kiwi Can and Tudor Light. If you saw it you were not paying attention if that is not in the top half dozen races you've seen.

Remarkably, Grey Way had a further 66 starts to end his astounding career with 51 wins, 27 seconds and 21 thirds. We will indeed be fortunate if we again see his like.

If Let Me Roar gets the chocolates this will go down as a remarkable achievement by trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman and that's a bold statement given their results of the last 18 months.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

To go from maidens unbeaten in seven starts to win at group two level is practically unheard of. But Let Me Roar is displaying talent right out of the ordinary. Yes, her winning margin at Te Rapa last start was narrow, but although she did not look inconvenienced, things did not entirely go her way and she was exposed when left in front a fair way from the finish in the home straight.

Even from the minimum 53kg again, this would be a seasonal highlight if she manages to take it.

"This is by far the best field she's met," says Murray Baker. "I think she'll handle the trip (1600m), but how she will manage if it's a genuine slow, I'm not so sure.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"She's pretty genuine though."

Stayers often run a bold 1400m fresh from a break so it was no surprise Chocante put in to be a close third to Let Me Roar at Te Rapa. That type of stayer often does not run quite the same race second up, but Chocante has a touch more of the precocious about him and Stephen Marsh is clever enough to have kept him in the zone.

This Ellerslie track is likely to be quite holding, therefore testing, and Chocante's stamina might be a valuable asset in the closing 250m. The combination of 56kg and a wide barrier is not attractive, but he is strong enough to overcome them.

Auckland Racing Club executive Craig Baker says be believes the track will be lucky to come back better than: "Somewhere between a 7 and an 8." On a genuine slow surface Our King Sway has to be a chance, despite his wide gate. He is somewhat underrated and is very determined in a tough finish, something required in an Easter.

Discover more

Racing

Rare chance to see star perform

18 Apr 05:00 PM
Racing

Racing stakes set for big boost

19 Apr 08:30 AM
Racing

Racing: Logan guns blazing at Ellerslie meeting

19 Apr 05:00 PM
Racing

Racing: Anchor and some fish-hooks in Alex Park features

20 Apr 05:00 PM

Scapolo drops to a very dangerous 56kg. His second to All Roads at Tauranga two back was extremely stylish. All Roads will suffer on a 7 or 8 track, particularly under 57kg, but has the class to be thereabouts.

Last year's winner Sound Proposition and Battle Time are other chances in a wide open field. Don't forget the first eight or nine finished within one and a half lengths a year ago.

Camino Rocoso has some talented sorts to overcome in the $100,000 Valachi Downs Championship Stakes, but is one of the most progressive horses around. Qiji Phoenix will attempt to remain unbeaten in the Champagne Stakes.

Weekend watch

• Class: Qiji Phoenix, R5, Ellerslie. Effortless in winning his only two starts to date. No reason why the step to 1600m will change much.

• Up to the right distance: Sacred Shot, R5, Ellerslie. Good runs at 1600m and will appreciate the middle distance this time.

• Will love the 2100m: Camino Rocoso, R8, Ellerslie. Beaten at 1600m last time, but the slow pace was to blame. No such problem here at 2100m.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Racing

Racing

Purdon sticks with driver despite Inter Dominion stuff-up

07 Jul 05:00 PM
Racing

Mick On Monday: Pike pair could be two new stars of the saddle

06 Jul 06:13 PM
Racing

Brosnan stable stars with jumping double at waterlogged Te Rapa

05 Jul 05:00 PM

From early mornings to easy living

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Racing

Purdon sticks with driver despite Inter Dominion stuff-up

Purdon sticks with driver despite Inter Dominion stuff-up

07 Jul 05:00 PM

First-round driver error has put Oscar Bonavena at risk of missing out on the final.

Mick On Monday: Pike pair could be two new stars of the saddle

Mick On Monday: Pike pair could be two new stars of the saddle

06 Jul 06:13 PM
Brosnan stable stars with jumping double at waterlogged Te Rapa

Brosnan stable stars with jumping double at waterlogged Te Rapa

05 Jul 05:00 PM
Caitlyns Wish claims seventh win in Te Rapa sprint race

Caitlyns Wish claims seventh win in Te Rapa sprint race

05 Jul 06:26 AM
Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP