Racing: Caution as So Casual returns

By BARRY STREET

Tauranga trainer Ross Taylor will wait until the last few minutes before scratching time before declaring So Casual a starter tomorrow at Avondale, Awapuni or nowhere.

His 1999 New Zealand Derby winner, who made a successful comeback after a breakdown over 1200m at Hastings on New Year's Day, is the topweight with 60.5kg in the Sheriff Handicap at Avondale and in the ITM Rural Handicap at the Marton meeting at Awapuni.

Both races are over 1400m and So Casual's connections regard them as a necessary step to the $130,000 Holden Thorndon Mile, a group-one 1600m, at Trentham on January 26.

When the 6-year-old won his comeback race so handsomely, the stable paid a $1600 late-entry fee for the Thorndon.

But Taylor warns that So Casual could be vulnerable this time, not only because of the second-up syndrome, but also because neither track may be to his liking.

"The only unplaced run of his career was in a 1400m at Te Rapa 25 months ago when he was fresh and a little on the burly side," Taylor said yesterday.

"There is not much wrong with him, condition-wise, for this weekend. But he is giving about a stone in weight [5.5kg and 4.5kg] to his nearest rival at both courses, and that will be a hardship.

"Especially so if he doesn't get good footing. He's an absolute duffer on anything but firm ground and won't start at either venue if they're soft.

"We'll just have to ready him for the Thorndon some other way."

Ideally, So Casual needed a race this weekend and in a fortnight for the Whakanui Stud International Stakes at Te Rapa on February 9.

Two jockeys are on standby for So Casual tomorrow - Michael Coleman at Avondale and Bruce Herd at Awapuni.

Top Australian jockey Damien Oliver rode him to his Derby triumph and may want to become part of the action again on 2002 Wellington Cup and Thorndon Mile day.

Avondale is Taylor's preferred target venue tomorrow because it dries faster and is closer to his stable at Tauranga.

Taylor also said that if So Casual failed to win at Avondale he won't feel mortified.

The Sheriff Handicap was steeped in history, he said, and was renowned for one of the greatest upsets in New Zealand racing history.

That was 52 years ago when mighty Mainbrace was beaten fresh-up as a 3-year-old by The Unicorn in the Sheriff Handicap - one of only two losses in Mainbrace's 26-start career. So Casual's record is 17 starts for nine wins, four seconds and three thirds but not nearly as imposing as that of Mainbrace, who won 17 on the trot.