The step up to 1600m and lack of a regular pacemaker gives jockey Craig Grylls the option to go forward, lead and then wind the tempo up from the 600m and make the equation hard, if not impossible, for the chasers.
To do that he needs the best version of La Crique and co-trainer Katrina Alexander says that should turn up at Ōtaki.
“She has come through Te Rapa well and if anything has been calm and quiet, like I’d expect from a horse ready for 2000m.
“But we haven’t over worked her and she is ready to go out and run a strong mile.”
The Alexanders, like the trainers of most of their favoured rivals, are wary or forecast rain turning the Ōtaki track really wet, with Wild Night the only horse of the favourites to have won on the heavy and that was as a maiden.
So if the rain comes the race becomes a lottery. But if the track stays in the reletively neutral rating 4-6 range there really only looks to be three winning chances.
La Crique is the obvious tactical hope but Levante, while she hasn’t raced at 1600m for nearly two years, has looked like she is crying out for the step up in distance this campaign and it should give her the rare opportunity to settle handy.
If there is any pressure, and Wild Night could be one to add some intensity, then Levante may have too much class but in a real sit and wind-it-up type race she could be vulnerable as she has been in her career.
Wild Night is the other winning chance after a brave third in the Herbie Dyke where the 2000m looked a rugby pitch or two too long but he has had some tough racing this summer and will need to be sharp and spritely as he is getting only 2kg from the Group 1-winning mares.
