Racing: Bothwell entries to fore

Stratford trainers Dick and Chris Bothwell could pull off a notable double at Trentham today.

The father-and-son combination will saddle up Maxines Magic in the $225,000 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), while Amnesia is not without a hope in the $30,000 Anniversary Handicap (1600m).

Chris Bothwell said Maxines Magic's recent trackwork had been "brilliant" and fingers were now crossed for a good racing surface.

"The track is the worry. We don't want it any worse than soft. From barrier six she should be able to race handy which is what we are looking for," Chris Bothwell said.

"The way she works and temperament wise the distance shouldn't be a problem but I guess you never know till they run it."

The Bothwells appeared to take the easier option over the Christmas-New Year period by racing Maxines Magic on her home track in preference to taking on the other leading three-year-old fillies at Ellerslie.

She won her 1600m intermediate task in style for rider Jeremy Walsh, digging in impressively up the uphill straight against her older rivals.

Amnesia was stiff when third behind Andrella and Saint Cecile in the Anniversary last year and is always a threat. She beat Camacho with ease at Stratford over 1480m on New Year's Eve and hasn't left an oat since.

"She gets in well at the weights so she has to be hard to beat."

Cambridge trainer Sheila Laxon won the Anniversary with Andrella last year, and has an outside chance of a repeat with Forlorna, to be ridden by Thomas Russell.

"She can be a difficult horse to ride so it depends on the run she gets but if things went her way she'd be a chance," Laxon said.

Laxon also lines up Strawberry Affair in the $25,000 Wines and Spirits Super Series (1600m).

Being a maiden she is racing out of her class but Laxon thought enough of the Star Way filly to throw in an early nomination for the Oaks.

"She's a pretty good horse but I would've liked her to draw a bit better."

- NZPA