KEY POINTS:
It might pay not to take too literally the form from Saturday's $50,000 Te Rapa sprint when assessing the major summer dashes.
Sure the winner, the perennially underrated Aimee's Idol, will be competitive, but you cannot take too seriously the finishing order of those behind her.
For starters,
the favourite Manten was forced in front by Lee Callaway challenging brutally on his outside on Mi Jubilee and justifiably weakened to fifth.
Manten's rider Vinny Colgan was so furious he could barely speak outside the mouthful he gave Callaway as he walked back into the jockeys' room.
"He beat us both," Colgan finally forced out.
Second favourite Devoted underwent a veterinary inspection before the race and was found to be suffering no ill effects from a midweek foot problem.
It may have taken the edge off his fitness though because rider Michelle Wenn said Devoted "hit the wall" 200m from the finish, crossing in fourth place.
Aimee's Idol gave Catherine Treymane a deserved win after a horror run with injuries. and owner and trainer Vince Roberts said he and wife Joyce have just built a new home and the winner's cheque would buy the furniture.
Another improver is Devoted's stablemate Vaalu, who raced a touch further back in the field than usual and ran on nicely into third.
"On that effort I'd say he'll run a nice 1600m," said rider Reese Jones, who had earlier ridden a winning treble. Mi Jubilee weakened to second last.
Chance for emerging talent
With most of the gun stayers missing, the early summer cups are likely to fall to the emerging horses.
Ritzy Lady put her hand up to be one of those when she gritted her way to a 1600m victory under 56.5kg at Te Rapa.
"When I brought her back for this campaign I thought about the 1600m of the Thorndon Mile [at Trentham], but I think she's racing a bit too dour for that and I'm putting her in the Counties Cup instead," said trainer Roger James.
The $125,000 Eagle Technology Counties Cup is run at Ellerslie on Saturday week.
"I know it's a tough ask to throw her straight into a race like that, but she'll go from the top of the handicap where she was today to the bottom of the handicap.
"She doesn't dash when she sprints, but she grinds very well.
"She knows she's by Zabeel."
Aussie blood bought to boil
Crossyourheart has plenty of hot Australian sprinting blood running through her veins and it showed when she scored a big debut win at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Owner Gerald Shand was entitled to see an impressive performance - the former Huntly baker paid $210,000 for the Show A Heart filly as a yearling.
That won't be Crossyourheart's last win.
Maiden races hard to nail
Winning maiden races at this time of year is difficult.
Velvet And Satin, third in Saturday's group one $250,000 New Zealand Bloodstock 1000 Guineas, was beaten in maiden class at Te Rapa at her previous start.
At Te Rapa on Saturday this time the favourite Stolen Thunder turned in what would normally have been a maiden winning performance, but was beaten by an equally good effort by Aquila Carrera.
Stolen Thunder charged up on the outside at the 250m, only to be topped off by Aquila Carrera, head down, powering through on his inside.
Before Aquila Carrera, Matamata's Kevin Old hadn't had a horse to the races in more than a year and a half, concentrating for a long period on developing horses for overseas connections then sending them to their owners.
He has good staying material on his hands with this mare.
Vela brothers on to a winner
Santagostino is another who should develop good staying form for the Vela brothers.
Pencarrow studmaster Leon Casey, filling in for an absent trainer, Mark Walker, said he thought the Giant's Causeway filly might have needed 2000m before showing her best.
"But seeing as she's won this at 1600m she might get to go to the Levin Classic.
"She's definitely an Oaks filly."
Chant was a good thing beaten in this race.
Lisa Allpress could not find her racing room until far too late and she powered into fourth in the closing strides.
Transtasman broadcast
Something we'll see more of in the future is being introduced in Christchurch this week.
Sydney's racing radio station 2KY is broadcasting live back to Australia from each of the days at Riccarton and Addington in what could become a regular feature when co-mingling of Australian and New Zealand betting pools begins, hopefully early in the new year.
Tabcorp told 2KY executives that if they could generate sufficient sponsorship to "go for it".
The NZ Racing Board contributed and former New Zealand racing journalist Jack Petley, who does work for 2KY, arranged further sponsorship from Haunui Farm, The Oaks Stud and Rich Hill Stud.
Australian commentator Greg Radley is hosting a 9am to midday (Australian time) timeslot from each meeting, interviewing personalities.
In racing circles New Zealand will become another state of Australia with the introduction of co-mingling betting pools.
