Champions Day at Ellerslie: Key barrier draws and race insights

Tuxedo. Photo / Kenton Wright / Race Images

The fields are out for New Zealand’s richest ever raceday so here is a look at the possible winners and losers in the barrier draws for Barfoot and Thompson Champions Day at Ellerslie on Saturday, March 8.

Race 3, Haunui Farm Kings Plate, 1200m: With only six starters, all of them will get their chance but Alabama Lass drawing 3 should give her the chance to cross arch-rival Crocetti and then either lead (more likely) or trail Babylon Berlin.

Race 4, Sistema Stakes, 1200m: Favourite Return To Conquer has drawn 5, which is good but more importantly puts him inside Karaka Millions-winning stablemate La Dorada (7).

Lucy In The Sky (barrier 2) should get a perfect run in what is a huge step up from her debut win.

Race 5: HKJC World Pool NZ Breeders, 1600m: Legarto got the almost perfect barrier of 3 and is going to be everybody’s multi anchor.

Town Cryer (1) draws ideally for her but Belclare (12) and Konasana (10) haven’t had a lot of joy.

Race 6, Bonecrusher NZ Stakes, 2000m: El Vencedor is in to odds-on after getting barrier 4 which gives him options to lead or be in the top two in the running.

Orchestral should be able to stay midfield from barrier 5 but a lack of tempo could be concerning while fellow mares La Crique (2) and Qali Al Farrasha (1) get ideal draws to sit handy without working.

Wolfgang being in the race could be a key if he is sent forward.

Race 7, Barfoot And Thompson Auckland Cup, 3200m: Draws don’t matter as much over 3200m. It’s more about who actually runs the distance and Sydney favourite Tajanis (3) shouldn’t have any hassles from there and you’d rather have his draw than the second favourite About Time’s barrier 17.

Expect this market to loosen up in the next two days.

Race 8, NZB Kiwi, 1500m: Simple stuff. Perfumist and the O’Sullivan/Scott horses got good draws. Damask Rose’s draw could be solid for her and Public Attention got a terrible draw.

It doesn’t mean Public Attention can’t still win as he has early speed but nobody wants the outside gate so he will likely drift in the market.

Favourite Evaporate has 10, which isn’t a disaster but they would have preferred about four gates closer in.

Race 9, Trackside NZ Derby, 2400m: Tuxedo has drawn 16 of 16, which is bad, and because he can fire up his trainer probably has no option now but to put him to sleep and hope his rivals fade.

Willydoit didn’t fare much better with barrier 14 so his $3.40 price is a real surprise and Thedoctoroflove (12) is worse off than when he drew 3 to win the Avondale Guineas.

Bourbon Proof gets 3 this time and has the speed to use it while Oceana Dream’s co-trainer Roger James admits he would have preferred wider than barrier 1.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s racing editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.