Wolverine has a tough barrier draw. Photo / Race Images
For the second year running jockey Leith Innes will have to pull off the perfect ride to secure Karaka Million glory, but this time it will be on a horse he has never touched before.
Innes will have his first ride on Wolverine, the unbeaten second favourite for the $1 million juvenile dash at Ellerslie's mega meeting on Saturday, after regular jockey Danielle Johnson was sidelined by injury.
While she was a promoted winner of the Eclipse Stakes on New Year's Day, Wolverine has still looked our best Karaka-eligible juvenile this season and would be favourite but for drawing 13, to start from 12, for the Karaka Million.
That means Innes will have to produce a special ride to win our richest freshman race, as he did last year under vastly different circumstances with Aegon in the three-year-old Karaka Mile.
In that race he took shortcuts around the home bend to save vital energy when many lesser-experienced jockeys would have looked for clear air; Innes knowing that Aegon, fresh-up for two months, needed all his help to beat Amarelinha.
Wolverine faces an even trickier trip as she is not only drawn wide but the Jamie Richards-trained contingent for the race in Grace N Grey (3), Dynastic (5) and Fellini (6) have drawn to be handy and covering less ground than her.
"It isn't the barrier I would have picked but I am feeling a bit better after talking to Roydon (Bergerson, trainer)," says Innes.
"He says the filly is really well and as ready as she can be so now my job is to get the right sort of cart into the race."
At least the Wolverine camp know she can unwind from off a hot speed because she did just that winning the Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Te Rapa last month, savaging the line albeit in a race where the form of those she beat hasn't been franked yet.
"She is a good tough filly and we all saw that run at Te Rapa but it is an unusual experience to go into a $1 million race on a horse I have never sat on.
"Usually you can go have a spin on them because most of the horses are in the north but with her being trained in Palmy I haven't. But Danielle says she is going to give me all the advice she can."
Wolverine's wide barrier draw coupled with Opie Bosson committing to Dynastic before he drew perfectly at barrier five saw him shorten into $3.80 favouritism, with that price instantly snapped up and into $3.50.
Dynastic is still a maiden from just one start so raises the amazing possibility of the colt being the first Southern Hemisphere winner for his Cambridge Stud sire Almanzor, and that win coming in a $1 million race.
While Innes will be path plotting with Wolverine he hopes the addition of blinkers will turn around his Karaka Mile ride Tutukaka.
The talented three-year-old raced like he was on sleeping pills when second last in the Auckland Guineas last start but looks one of the more talented gallopers in the race behind hot favourite On The Bubbles.
Good enough to win twice in listed company in Australia last year a more awake Tutukaka looks at least a great place bet in the Mile and Innes says the blinkers may be the key.
"Pikey (trainer, Tony Pike) wanted him ridden cold last start to keep him settled but I could barely get him out of a canter," said Innes.
"We know he is better than that and if the blinkers do their job then I think he can improve quickly and that gives him a great place chance."
Innes was on his old mate Aegon in a special trial before today's Te Rapa races and the four-year-old was again slow out of the gates in the trial won by Masetto.
"Andrew (Forsman, co-trainer) suggested to me after that he might give him a short break so I doubt he will be going to the Thorndon next week," says Innes.