Horse racing: Very different stablemates give Margaret Falconer shot at Te Rapa double

Moschino won the Jo Giles Stakes at Ellerslie in January. Photo / Megan Liefting

A featherweight could boost Moschino’s chances of becoming a 1200m winner at Te Rapa tomorrow.

The Cambridge mare contests a strong open handicap in what will be only her second start over the true sprint trip in her 20-start career.

Her only other attempt at 1200m was when she finished third in her debut run and she has been a rarity in that almost all of her racing, apart from a couple of runs up in distance to chase black type last season, have been in the 1300-1400m range.

“We were actually going to start her in the R75 over 1400m again this Saturday but we decided we’d go for the 1200m,” trainer Margaret Falconer said.

“Originally the plan was to go to Rotorua next week but we are aware the rain could come before then.

“But by going 1200m on Saturday, she has the option of starting again next week if the weather holds.”

Which is how apprentice Joe Nishizuka has ended up on Moschino tomorrow, taking her weight down to a super-light 51kg.

“We were going to use Joe’s claim in the R75 but we are happy to leave him on in this race instead and we think it is the right time to try 1200m again,” Falconer said.

Moschino has been consistent in strong fields this summer with her highlight being an all-the-way win in the Jo Giles Stakes to open Karaka Millions night in January where she beat Imprevu, Mary Shan and Provence.

That is strong form for tomorrow, especially as she will carry 6kg less than Te Rapa track specialist Force of Nature.

Five of Force Of Nature’s six wins have come at Te Rapa and he should be improved by a first-up fourth in a strong race at Ōtaki last start so can continue his wonderful strike rate on the Hamilton track.

But it is an interesting race with plenty of horses who have shown up at a higher level and with strong early money for Tristar, who has been backed in from $4.20 to $3.50.

The day’s feature is the $80,000 Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes for the 2-year-olds over 1400m, which looks incredibly even with basically the entire field looking to be in form.

So Fear ran on strongly late at Ellerslie last start, after getting back from a wide draw and with the aid of barrier 2 tomorrow could well start favourite – but Excite looks each-way value at $6, after finishing fourth in a Group 1 last start.

Earlier in the programme, Falconer suggests punters consider Hakata Bay (Race 1, No 5) as an each-way option in the Rating 65 stayer’s race.

“He got tucked away on the fence last start which doesn’t suit him because he is a big rolling stayer but I think he is a chance this week.”

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.