KEY POINTS:
Dubai bound glamour mare Seachange gave the punters a scare after working harder than expected to win the Group One $200,000 Waikato Sprint at Te Rapa yesterday.
New Zealand's outstanding weight-for-age sprinter-miler was expected to dominate the 1400m feature and was given every opportunity to win racing on
the pace throughout.
When regular rider Gavin McKeon asked the daughter of Cape Cross to sprint with 200m remaining, the response was more determination as opposed to speed.
Seachange showed that class is permanent with top-class equine athletes as, despite parading a little burly in condition, she refused to accept defeat and fought off the annoying challenge from Kay's Awake to win by a half-length.
A further 2 3/4 lengths away third was Run Like Al.
Seachange may not have produced the staggering home-stretch speed she showed when winning the Telegraph Handicap at Wellington three weeks ago, but another Group One victory is another moment to savour.
Cambridge-based trainer Ralph Manning must now plan his training regime to perfection to have the 5-year-old in prime physical fitness for the assault on the US$5 million feature in Dubai next month.
Judging by Manning's faultless record with Seachange, the queen of New Zealand racing will be ready for a bold performance in Dubai.
THE MORONEY stable has had the sort of turbulent start to 2008 that most professional horse trainers dread.
Losing glamour galloper Xcellent to a career-ending injury three weeks ago when winning the Trentham Stakes was devastating for the Matamata-based trainers brothers Mike and Paul.
This followed earlier bad news that well-performed stablemate Jokers Wild had to be put down in Melbourne.
Almost on cue the stable have produced a leading chance for the upcoming $700,000 Mercedes Derby at Ellerslie on March 1.
Mission Critical shocked the punting public when outstaying and outsprinting New Zealand's premier middle-distance weight-for-age star Sir Slick in the $200,000 Group One Whakanui Stud International Stakes.
The leggy 3-year-old son of Fantastic Light took full advantage of a 5kg pull under the weight-for-age system when leading throughout to defeat Sir Slick by 1 3/4 lengths.
A further 3 1/4 lengths away third was Ombre Rose.
Ballymore Stables has an outstanding strike rate in the New Zealand Derby and Paul Moroney is quietly confident Mission Critical can deliver at Ellerslie in three weeks time.
"He's an on-pace 3-year-old who is proven up to 2000m and on the strength of the win at Te Rapa I have no doubt he'll run out the 2400m of the Derby," said a delighted Moroney.
"He's a 16.1 hand, big, lengthy staying horse and he is an on-pace runner who now has that ringcraft required to compete in the big races.
"He was his own worst enemy in his two previous runs before we took him to Wellington and that trip away has been the making of the horse.
"His own lack of experience and playfulness has cost him on occasions but the trip to Wellington has toughened him up mentally.
"We'll now give him a couple of gallops at Ellerslie before the running of the Derby just to make sure he's ready to race again right-handed."
ROGER JAMES has been widely regarded as one of New Zealand's premier trainers of 3-year-olds and the Cambridge-based horseman has another exciting equine athlete in the form of Kaatoon.
The Kaapstad-sired filly was in dominant form winning yesterday's $150,000 Cambridge Stud Sir Tristram Fillies Classic.
Kaatoon powered home strongly in the home stretch to win by 1 1/2 lengths over Insouciant and Pretty Vegas (third) in the 2000m event.
All eyes now switch to Trentham and a likely assault on the Group One New Zealand Oaks.
"This filly has really hit her straps in the last month and logically we're looking ahead to the New Zealand Oaks," said James.
"I'd like to see how she pulls up after this run in the next three days before I make any concrete decisions about what we want to do with her.
"There's various options available and she's in great form right now."
James has scaled down his team and with that has come a more selective assault on the feature races in New Zealand this season.
"I've cut back a lot in numbers that I'm training this season but I do know I'll have a very exciting racing team over the autumn."
Kaatoon has had "Oaks filly" stamped all over her rump over the last month recording impressive second placed performances in group company against New Zealand's best 3-year-old fillies.
The step up in distance to 2400m of the NZ Oaks should not trouble her.