Horse racing: Flurry of phone calls impact Tauranga punters

Belle Of The Ball. Photo / Supplied

A flurry of phone calls early this morning will have an enormous impact on what thoroughbred punters have to bet on at Tauranga today.

Because if the weather forecast is right some of the biggest names and favourites at the meeting could be scratched because of track conditions.

The heavy rain warnings for the weekend have already seen Sunday’s Rotorua gallops meeting cancelled while the one at Gore the same day must be in doubt.

There was also expected to be heavy rain in the Tauranga region overnight and that will see plenty of trainers reaching for their phones before the official scratching time of 7.30am.

“We are waiting on several of ours,” says champion trainer Mark Walker.

“It sounds like they (Tauranga) could be in for plenty of rain so we will ring the track manager before scratchings time and see what he thinks it will race like.

“Some horses will start because they will handle a wetter track or need the racing but others, who have other races they can target soon, wouldn’t start on a slow track.”

Two of those who could be withdrawn today are the exciting Puketiro (race 2) and 2000 Guineas contender What You Wish For (R3, No.1).

“Puketiro is a very progressive mare but I don’t want her racing fresh-up on a slow track so she will come out if the rain is as bad as forecast,” says Walker.

“What You Wish For wouldn’t start if it gets slow, he would head to Te Rapa next Friday instead.”

Walker says My Lips Are Sealed, who is in the same race as What You Wish For, will start regardless of track conditions, as will Belle Of The Ball in the open 1400m (race 4).

“Belle Of The Ball needs a run as she is being aimed at the Matamata Cup and she can handle soft ground.”

Walker has two juveniles in the opening race today up against four from Team Rogerson in a rare race in which only two stables are represented.

“We really like our juvenile team this season and it has a lot of depth but you really don’t start getting an idea on the pecking order until around November and even then it can change quickly.

“But we like both the two-year-olds racing on Saturday (Knowledge Is Power and About Last Night) so it really is a flip of the coin which one is the better chance.”

Walker says news this week that regular Inter-Island flights are set to return between Auckland and Christchurch in time for Cup week in Christchurch has greatly increased the chances his high-class three-year-olds Tokyo Tycoon and Quintessa will make the trip to Riccarton for their respective Guineas races.

“The fact they can fly down and, just as importantly, fly back makes the trip a lot easier and all going well we plan for them to go now.”

One three-year-old who won’t be heading to Riccarton though is one-time NZ 1000 Guineas favourite Zourion, who flew to Melbourne on Tuesday.

She will join superstar stablemate Imperatriz in racing at The Valley next Friday night with a likely group 1 aim being the 1000 Guineas, which has been moved to the back end of the spring carnival.

Closer to home today’s major domestic meeting is at Awapuni where again the rain could play a crucial role in deciding the $100,000 Hunterville Vet Club Mile, in which Pennyweka has been backed in from $15 to $9.