Racing: Talented Khufu tipped at Ellerslie

Tellall starts favourite in the Trevor Eagle Memorial at Ellerslie today. Photo / Trish Dunell

When a trainer has as many Group 1 horses as Tony Pike, a debutant juvenile is rarely the most exciting focus of their week.

And it is even more testament to the potential talent of Khufu (R2, No 1) at Ellerslie today that Pike is just as keen on him as Tellall (R6, No 1), who has won his last two and starts favourite in the listed Trevor Eagle Memorial.

Tellall has looked a serious three-year-old, winning both his starts this campaign, including beating older horses over 1400m here last start.

That has earned him topweight in today's 1500m event full of promising three-year-olds, many of whom have connections that hold Guineas and even Derby aspirations.

"There are some promising horses here but I think he showed the way he beat the older horses last start he has real ability," says Pike of Tellall.

"I think he is a Guineas horse in a month so he will be hard to beat this weekend, especially with a good draw."

Adding to the puzzle of the race is that so few of Tellall's rivals have raced at Ellerslie, which can be a daunting first-up experience.

Punters learned that the hard way in this race last year when the uber-talented Dragon Leap loomed up to win before racing erratically and throwing the race away, albeit to a genuinely class filly in Two Illicit.

As prophetic as the Eagle Memorial might be for what lies ahead, there are also plenty of questions to be answered out of today's juvenile race (race two) and one of the biggest ones is around Khufu.

The son of Triple Crown winner American Pharaoh bolted away with his first trial but didn't handle a very wet track in his second, a hindrance which won't be a factor today.

Plenty of juveniles can sprint a quick 200m on the bridle but Pike says Khufu is the real deal.

"He is one of the most exciting horses I have had in a long time," says the multiple Group 1-winning trainer.

"He is very, very exciting. We worked him the other day with a decent four-win older horse and he thrashed him. I think, providing things go his way, he will win a Group 1 race this season."

Then comes the caveat. "But, I realise he can get beaten on Saturday," admits Pike. "We all know juvenile races from wide draws can be tricky and I expect him to get back. I expect him to be charging late and do I think he will win? Yes.

"But plenty of good, even very good, juveniles get beaten fresh-up so he is no good thing."

Add in the Eagle Technology Stakes with a field full of Group horses and competitive heats of both the Stella Artois Championship (Boxing Day) and Dunstan Stayers (New Year's Day) and today's meeting is a potentially telling preview to Ellerslie's huge summer of racing.