Racing: Classic struggle, Boots n'all

Down The Road's victory in the Championship Stakes on a damp Ellerslie track was a sound pointer to today's Derby. Photo / Greg Bowker

The brilliance of Jungle Boots v the toughness of Down The Road, Coniston Bluebird and The Meista.

That's pretty much the scenario that will decide today's $2.2 million Telecom New Zealand Derby.

Easy Ryder, Jungle Boot's stablemate, sits somewhere between those two groups.

If Jungle Boots can find the sprint he produced to win at Te Rapa last start in today's rain-affected footing he might put a break on the opposition that would prove difficult to bridge.

But can he do that in the conditions?

As if this Derby wasn't just about the most even group one event we've seen in years, the rain had to come and make it impossible.

There will be someone saying after the race that they always thought whatever wins it was a good thing.

Let's face it - everyone's guessing at this point.

There are too many variables for even a computer to juggle.

One inescapable fact is that class wins a lot of horse races, even if rain negates class to a certain extent.

And the drifters in most markets for this race are the two best credentialled horses and the two who shared early favouritism, Tell A Tale and Le Baron.

If you fancy either of them and they win, you're going to get value.

Tell A Tale had drifted to $11 last night and Le Baron to $10.

The connections of both are concerned about their horse's ability to manage the conditions.

Some of the prominent quotes from connections:

MARK WALKER, trainer of Tell A Tale: "He's right on his game again after that hiccup. I can notice in him that he's toughened right up having raced the older horses at weight-for-age. That might be a factor in this race, but I am worried about the rain."
DONNA LOGAN, co-trainer of Le Baron: "He didn't like the [slow] track in the Championship Stakes, so you have to assume he won't like it again. Physically, he's never been better. We'll just have to hit and hope."

BEDE MURRAY, trainer of Australian runner Coniston Bluebird: "He's improved since his first run here, which I'd hoped he'd do. He handled the wet that day, even though he hadn't run on a track as bad previously. Scotty Seamer
[rider] will know him better this time and, hopefully, he can get him a better run."

RICK WILLIAMS, ownership manager for Spontaneous and Late Edition: "I believe Spontaneous is the more natural stayer of the two, even though Late Edition has beaten him the last two times they've met. Both are going into the race right at the top of their form."

KEN KELSO, co-trainer of Down The Road: "He hasn't run in heavy ground, but he's managed everything he has run in including the slow track when he won the Championship Stakes. I suppose I'd be a bit worried if it got heavy, but I wouldn't be as worried as most of the others will be."

DAWN WILLIAMS, co-trainer of The Meista: "Very happy with him, he's right at his peak. The ground, well, we're pretty much all in the same boat. I liked his Championship Stakes run."

SHAUNE RITCHIE, trainer of My Scotsgrey: "My horse will cope with the conditions, rather than enjoy them, and the fact the footing will make it a true test of stamina really suits him."

ROGER JAMES, co trainer of Jungle Boots and Easy Ryder: "They're not complete duffers in the wet. Very happy with both horses."

Last night's TAB odds:
$6.50 Jungle Boots
$7 Easy Ryder, Down The Road
$9 Coniston Bluebird
$10 Le Baron, My Scotsgrey, The Meista
$11 Tell A Tale
$18 The Spaniard, Late Edition
$21 Spontaneous
$31 I Robot, Juice, Puttanesca
$51 Court Ruler, Izonit, Heza Karma Karzi, Fears Nothing
$101 Carchelo, Diamond Glitter