D-day looms for Crocetti’s chances in A$5 million Quokka

Crocetti faces the biggest test of his career in Perth. Photo / Kenton Wright

Tuesday morning looms as the crucial day for Crocetti’s chances in the Quokka in Perth.

The South Auckland galloper will represent the New Zealand TAB/Entain/West Australian Racing in the A$5 million ($5.36m) slot race for sprinters at Ascot on Saturday and it is a case of so far, so good for the Railway winner at Ellerslie in January.

Crocetti has been on light duties for trainer Danny Walker since he arrived in Western Australia over a week ago and Walker says the heat he feared before the trip hasn’t been a factor.

“It has been very bearable for him and the last two nights I have had to put a rug on him as it has only been 12-14 degrees,” Walker told the Herald.

“He has a nice big paddock to run around in and seems really happy.

“He did an easy 800m [trackwork] on Saturday but will have his proper pre-race gallop on Tuesday.”

That will be at the Breakfast at the Stars at Ascot where the Quokka will be held and will be followed by the barrier draw.

The Quokka market is dominated by Overpass, who has won both previous runnings of the race and Walker wants to draw handy enough to be near the Bjorn Baker-trained front-runner.

“Everybody here expects him to try and lead and be foot flat to the floor so most people want to be close to him or even trailing.

“I am not sure we will be that close but I’d love a draw somewhere between three and nine so we have options.”

The Quokka field has lost some of the Eastern Seaboard stars that were in the market a few weeks ago and while it still has depth, it is by no means as scary as it could have been.

“Some of the locals are telling me their horses might struggle against the likes of Overpass but I am not so sure,” says Walker.

“They are here racing on their home track and that has to count for something.

“But we can’t worry too much about all that. Our horse is well and as long as he stays that way, we will be happy.”

Craig Williams will head to Perth from Melbourne to ride Crocetti, who is rated a $19 chance by the TAB.

Walker has had one eye-opening experience while in Perth that made him wonder about attracting crowds to New Zealand racing.

“They had races here at Ascot on Good Friday, which is obviously new to me, and the place was packed,” he said.

“The gates opened at noon and people were queuing to get in because they could go to the race and have a bet and a beer.

“The next day they had races again at Ascot, this time it was Derby Day, and by comparison, the crowd was tiny.

“It was pretty remarkable to watch.”

Crocetti isn’t the only New Zealand-trained galloper vying for international honours next weekend with El Vencedor having arrived safely in Hong Kong for next Sunday’s HK$28m ($6m) QEII Cup on Champions Day at Sha Tin.

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.