Racing: Front-runner may show another side

Stephen Crutchley dropped a bombshell yesterday - Mi Jubilee might not lead in today's $100,000 Breeders Stakes.

No one knows Mi Jubilee as anything but a leader, except when she lost it early in the spring and flew home late.

Since then the Howbaddouwantit filly has torn straight to the front in four races. She holds the Otaki 800m track record of a brilliant 44.72, a time she set up herself in front.

For certain, if Mi Jubilee does not lead it will change the tactics for any number of the leading chances in the group-two event.

"It really came about by accident that she started showing this type of speed in her races," said Crutchley, who is starting to make a real name for himself from his Wanganui base.

"In her barrier trials before she raced she would trail the leaders.

"Then, in those 800m dashes when they start racing, we figured the best place to be was out of trouble in front.

"But lately we've been working her in a team of three horses, sitting her back off them and letting her finish off."

Since a pair of blistering wins, Mi Jubilee has finished second to Heineken Bay on a soft track carrying 57kg and chased crack colt Wahid home in the $100,000 Ford Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham.

Crutchley said Mi Jubilee went into the latter race underdone.

"She had a leg stripped when working in the sea and while she was being treated I couldn't work her the way I wanted. To finish second to a horse of Wahid's class under those circumstances was terrific."

The TAB opened its Final Field betting with Love Diamonds at $3.50, easing her out to $3.75. Mi Jubilee and Promethean were joint second-favourites on $6.50.

Co-trainer Graham Richardson said yesterday that he had changed his mind and would definitely run Sista in today's $15,000 Rich Hill Thoroughbreds 1400 at Matamata.

Richardson and training partner Mark Donoghue had been looking at running the classy 3-year-old filly at Tauranga next week instead.

"We'll run her then make a decision whether we run in the group-one Breeders Stakes at Matamata or in the Desert Gold Stakes."

Richardson said Sista had grown during a mid-summer break.

"She needed to and she's now a nice average-sized horse. She's grown into her head as well."

Richardson has less confidence in the chances of his former Australian-trained British Ensign in the 1200m Waikato Stud Stakes.

"He doesn't have much form at 1200m and is not that comfortable running left-handed. He's being set for the Easter Handicap at Ellerslie."