Racing: Big spenders likely to be big winners at Alexandra Park

Copy That. Photo / Race Images

The heavyweights of the yearling sales ring move their battle to Alexandra Park on Friday night and the victories could be just as shared.

The major stables of Robert Dunn, Steve Telfer, Cran Dalgety and Ray Green were among the biggest spenders at the yearling sales over the past 12 days, while young trainer Hayden Cullen will get plenty of new firepower through buyers formerly with Mark Purdon.

Those five stables provide many of the winning chances in the richest races as Alexandra Park's Derby meeting kicks off earlier than usual, with a strong night on Friday and then six major races next week.

Friday's highlight races have an even feel to them with the exception of the Founders Cup which should fall to Copy That.

Copy That hasn't raced since beating Self Assured in the Flying Mile at Cambridge early last month but the way he sprinted past most of his rivals in a workout at Pukekohe last week suggests he is fit and ready to win.

Aiding him is the fact his key rival Christianshavtime perhaps doesn't have the natural gate-speed to stay in front of him and if Copy That reaches the lead he will win, suggesting his $1.50 opening quote was multi gold.

But before him things are more complicated in the feature races, starting with race two, the lead-up to next week's Northern Derby.

Krug is still the best horse in this crop but not by much, with It's All About Faith drawn inside him. Trainer Cullen expects him to lead and be hard to beat.

"He has improved with his last-start win and if he leads it is going to be hard for them to get past him," says Cullen.

But It's All About Faith can be hard to trust and American Dealer and the greatly-improved Hot And Treacherous add depth to a race that could be decided by the tempo of the first 600m.

Cullen has also has outstanding filly Bettor Twist in the Peter Breckon Memorial, victory in which would mean the world to her main owners Ken and Karen Breckon, with Peter being Ken's late brother.

Bettor Twist is a brutal filly who loves a fight and will probably win next Friday's Oaks but Cullen concedes she will need to go back at the start and possibly come sit parked at the bell, not an easy way to win any Group 2.

"She is really well and forward enough to win because she has had two workouts but it is not an easy race," says Cullen.

Any one of Enjoy Me, La Rosa, Darling Me or brilliant last-start winner Off N Gone could easily break 2:40 for the 2200m and make Bettor Twist work very hard.

John Dunn, who with his father Robert took home about 16 yearlings from the sales, expects Off N Gone to handle her first start right-handed.

"She should because she has really improved a lot but it is a good field and I can see them going hard," says Dunn.

Telfer has a huge hand in the race and Enjoy Me has been the other big improver in this crop, winning the Sires' Stakes on New Year's Eve, downing Bettor Twist.

She missed a planned start since with a minor injury but impressed at the workouts last week and may still be improving.

Dunn is more confident with Need You Now in race four, with the high-class mare caught parked last start in a national record Group 1 but dropping a long way in grade.