By Mike Dillon
Of all this season's major races, tomorrow's $300,000 Wellington Cup is sitting there just waiting to be plucked.
There is absolutely no standout, which means Auckland Cup heartbreaker Dannevegas can put herself back in the sweetheart ranks by doing what we all know she is capable of.
Dannevegas finished fifth,
four lengths off Irish Chance in the Auckland Cup, but there were excuses.
The predominant reason was co-trainer Jeff Lynds being unable to give the mare the preparation she needed.
Dannevegas produces her best when her races are spaced, but Lynds had to squeeze an extra race into her in the Kings Plate on the first day of the Ellerslie carnival to alleviate the problem of the Cup being the mare's first right-handed race.
In the Cup she did not have the same fire in her belly that saw her comprehensively swamp her opposition in the Waikato Cup
She has been freshened, will race on her favourite left-handed track, is not too badly off in a field that lacks overall class, and will again be ridden by Opie Bosson.
Shans Beau has got to be a real danger. He couldn't withstand the finishing dash of Irish Chance in the last 75m of the Auckland Cup, but meets the Ellerslie winner 1.5kg better off in the weights.
That alone is just about enough to swing the half length Auckland result his way, but perhaps even more important, you get the impression Shans Beau might be even better suited by this track.
The Jillings/Yuill stable is very happy with Irish Chance since Ellerslie as is Southland trainer Tommy Beckett with veteran Ed.
Unquestionably Ed will be the sentimental favourite. As a 9-year-old veteran he faces a tougher task than when he won the race at five and seven, but that is somewhat offset by a field that lacks real depth.
"I don't think his age is even a factor," says Beckett, who has never raced a horse at Trentham but is quietly confident of a big effort. Jim Collett, desperate for a major victory after a rollercoaster year, rides Ed.
Beechwood Road's grinding ability will help him in his first 3200m race and so would any rain. Along with Emerald, Denholm and Honourable, he looks the danger.
