There's no mystery why horses can generally produce their best only in their comfort zone.
Boundless, classy as she is, was out of her's in the 1600m NZ Bloodstock Breeders Stakes at Te Aroha last start.
She gets back into her comfort zone for tomorrow's 2200m $70,000 Tumu ITM Hawkes
Bay Cup at Hastings and that should result in more like the form we've been used to seeing from the high-class mare.
Mares cannot win $655,147 without being exceptionally talented and the reality is that Boundless, at her best, has lengths on most in this field.
Dangerous lightweights have a good record in this race and it won't be easy for Boundless with 56.5kg, but she is more than entitled to be giving 4.5kg to the bottom half of the field. Collectively the horses at the bottom of the weights have not won her stakemoney.
If Boundless is even close to her best she should win this.
The state of the track will determine the chances of Everbright.
The high-class former Hong Kong stayer is hanging out for a decent downpour to ease the tracks. Midweek that looked like happening for Te Aroha last start, but fine, warm weather dried out the footing.
If there is any significant rain in Hastings leading up to this race, he will come right into it.
His wide draw is not ideal, but he is a back runner who should be able to get across without covering too much extra ground before the bend out of the home straight.
Halls, She Kin Fly and Court Ruler are the sorts that make up dangerous lightweights.
Court Ruler won the Queensland Derby for John Wheeler last year and you get the feeling the horse's current preparation has been aimed at having him at peak for this race. The combination of 53kg and the No 4 barrier is pretty powerful.
John Sargent has always had a lot of faith in Shi Kin Fly and the 5-year-old mare's form is starting to justify that.
"She's done well and she's well weighted (53kg)," said Sargent yesterday. "If she does well here I'll look to taking her to Queensland."
Sir Slick was massive under 59kg in finishing third in last week's Easter Handicap at Ellerslie, but the 60kg over 2200m this time is even tougher.
Gallant as he is, this should be beyond him, although he's beaten those odds before.
There's no mystery why horses can generally produce their best only in their comfort zone.
Boundless, classy as she is, was out of her's in the 1600m NZ Bloodstock Breeders Stakes at Te Aroha last start.
She gets back into her comfort zone for tomorrow's 2200m $70,000 Tumu ITM Hawkes
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