Racing: Demonetization on target to land the Eagle Stakes

Demonetization and regular rider Leith Innes should have a suitable surface at Te Aroha tomorrow. Photo / Trish Dunell

Trainer Nigel Tiley likes everything about how the $90,000 Eagle Stakes is stacking up for stable star Demonetization, apart from the fact he can't be there to saddle him.

While most people have their frustrating Covid stories to tell, for Tiley and wife Lee the closure of the New Zealand borders in winter cut short their new lifestyle, which was based around winters in Queensland before returning to train a small team in summer.

"We ended up getting the last non-quarantine flight out of Brisbane in July," says Tiley.
"So things didn't really work out how we wanted but we are still not going to be taking on a bigger stable like we used to have. We have six horses here and it won't get a lot bigger than that."

Tiley says there are some small mercies as he would hate to have as large a team as he had racing last year and be forced to send horses to other trainers to look after on raceday, as he will when Demoneti-zation headlines a three-strong stable representation at the Te Aroha meeting.

"We are lucky we have Scott Wenn looking after them for us and we know they are in good hands but I like going to the races with my horses to see all the little things during the day," says Tiley.

"But they are the times we are living in and I think a lot of the trainers up here [Auckland region] are lucky there are so many good people to send these horses to."

While Tiley would love to be on track for the Group 3 1600m tomorrow, he has a fit horse on what should be a suitable surface and with regular rider Leith Innes in the saddle after he relocated to Cambridge to be able to work.

"He is spot on for this week," says Tiley. "And the track should have some give in it so he will get his chance. I can see him being three back the fence and getting his chance late so he will be hard to beat."

The race is a beauty, also featuring last season's Herbie Dyke winner Royal Performer, who was a slightly luckless fourth in the race Demonetization won at the Auckland-only meeting two weeks ago.

Like Demonetization, Royal Performer is better off under the set weights and penalties conditions than he would be in a handicap but his chances will increase the more the track dries.

Hypnos is one leading contender who would seem to have any track conditions and should be at his peak now while Frontman (wet better) and the emerging Les Crayeres, who would be far more suited by a dry track, are others who add depth along with Group 1 winners The Mitigator and On The Rocks and last-start winner Paisley Park.

Tiley will also send Lady Maroal to the three-year-old race and while he is happy with her condition, she finds herself up against a potential star in Pareanui Bay and flying filly Le Crique, who has been brilliant in her last two wins.

Add in Gold Watch, looking to make it six wins on end in the open 1400m, and tomorrow's meeting is going to be a key pointer to plenty of black type races over the summer.

Te Aroha transfer
● Tomorrow's meeting is the second Saturday in a row major Auckland meetings have been transferred south.
● The meeting still carries the new Auckland Thoroughbred Racing feature stake levels, encouraging impressive support races.
● With Gold Watch, Pareanui Bay, La Crique and Sakura Blossom it has some of the most exciting newcomers in New Zealand racing.