Racing: Cup victory would be grand feat

Who Shot Thebarman returned a top trial for the Auckland Cup in easily winning the Avondale Cup.

Oulaghan has long been respected as a top jumping trainer and today could add Who Shot Thebarman to his CV.

Like Hollywood actors, horse trainers can become typecast. Mark Oulaghan has trained more Grand National Hurdles and Grand National Steeplechase winners than most can count and he's about to break the mould in today's $500,000 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup.

As the late Victorian trainer George Hanlon might have wanted to tell you, there is little difference between preparing a 3200m Cups stayer than a jumper.

Oulaghan agrees. As anyone would with a top-class staying type, the astute Oulaghan has brought Who Shot Thebarman along quietly and, remarkably, goes into this tough race with only eight race day appearances.

The Manawatu horseman works his horses hard if they can handle the pressure and Who Shot Thebarman has shown he can.

The ease of the big, rangy bloke's Avondale Cup victory almost needed to be seen to be believed.

There could not have been a more stylish Auckland Cup final trial.

All that needs to be couched with the understanding that no one can ever guarantee horses can successfully manage 3200m until they have proved it.

Over the years we have seen, in extreme cases, horses who can manage 3000m but not 3200m.

The exciting element of this cup is the Australia-New Zealand element.

Travolta and Celtic Prince, both former New Zealand gallopers, are here to take on our staying talent.

Bjorn Baker's stable supporters have put an avalanche of money on Celtic Prince.

His Sydney rider, Brenton Avdulla, told the Herald on Monday he rates the horse up to "Listed Stakes stayers" in Sydney, which is sufficient to get him somewhere into the frame here.

Baker says Celtic Prince is a horse who can maintain a solid finishing effort, the type more suited at Ellerslie in a 3200m race than a sit-and-sprint type.

More Than Sacred has had no luck at all in recent starts. She has been pinched by small saddles, which almost certainly won't be an issue today.

"She's been getting back in running as a result but, hopefully, that will disappear this time," said co-trainer Tony Pike.

More Than Sacred's early summer form was excellent. Trainer Stephen McKee would like an easing of the track for Chaparrone, third in this race last year.

"It's probably not going to happen that we'll get a yielding track, but it should still reasonably suit her. She is better than her recent form suggests."

Earlier on the card, trainer Stephen McKee has two reasons to want to see Moozoon win the Sunline Classic.

The first reason is obvious - winning the race the McKee family sponsor in honour of their great mare would be fantastic.

The second reason is that McKee will know he has the favourite for the NZ Oaks which will result in him having a chance to get his money back from when Moozoon threw rider Sam Spratt when she had an Ellerslie race four starts back.

As McKee told the Off The Rails audience at Ellerslie yesterday he had "a decent bet" on Moozoon that day.

She is unbeaten in three starts since.

"She's gradually stepped up in distance in her last three starts and the step from 1800m last start to 2100m this time will tell us if she can handle the 2400m of the Oaks," McKee said yesterday.

Auckland Cup

What: Auckland Cup.
Where: Ellerslie
When: Today, first race at 1.10pm, Cup at 5.55.
Who: New Zealand's best stayers take on Sydney raiders Travolta and Celtic Prince.
Punt: Quaddie on last 4 races.