Racing: Dramatic hike in weights for runners at City of Auckland Cup

Group Three winner Concert Hall. Photo / Trish Dunell

The $200,000 City Of Auckland Cup has seen a dramatic hike in weights for all runners after a couple of those at the head of the handicaps were withdrawn today.

And that means the lowest weight carried in the SkyCity-sponsored Group 3 on Wednesday will be 55.5kgs, a rarity for any major handicap in New Zealand.

The highly-weighted withdrawals of horses like Big Mike have left Blue Breeze as the pre-acceptance topweight with just 56.5kgs but with the race having to have a 59kgs minimum topweight all weights for the 2400m event will be raised by 2.5kgs when the field is finalised tomorrow.

That means that even the rating 66 horses well out of the handicaps will be asked to carry 55.5kgs should their connections want to start, with just a 3.5kgs spread in the weights.

Brilliant last-start Manawatu Cup winner Concert Hall now finds herself carrying 57.5kgs but is still likely to start favourite but the race could have a good betting base with Waikato Cup winner Justamaiz, last season's NZ Oaks quinellamates Sentimental Miss and Beyond The Fort and Pinmedown, who was a late-charging fifth in the Zabeel Classic on Thursday, all set to have their fans.

Aussie Bride

The money continues to come for Australian mare Winter Bride in the $200,000 Sistema Railway on Wednesday.

And judging by her track gallop at Ellerslie on Thursday she could even go close to starting favourite if she draws well for the glamour sprint.

The Queensland mare thrilled co-trainer Toby Edmonds with her work, handling the sometimes tricky last bend smoothly at speed and breaking 34 seconds for her last 600m.

Railway rider James McDonald loved the feel the speedster gave him and is confident she can show her best on Wednesday.

"She was very good in that gallop and she goes well fresh," said McDonald.

"She might have some zeros in her form but they have been in really good races where she might have been four lengths behind horses like Nature Strip.

"Without being rude to the local sprinters a horse like Nature Strip would come over here and bolt in in a race like this so any form close to him is good form. If she can get a decent draw she is going to be hard to beat."

TAB bookies had Winter Bride as much as $31 when she wasn't confirmed to make the trip but she is now the $6 second favourite behind Julius at $5.

With punters having cleaned up on McDonald's three winners on Boxing Day if Winter Bride can draw well the wave of money could come again and it wouldn't take much more momentum to see her head the market.