The Oysterman is not in the Wellington Steeplechase just to make up the numbers. Photo / Race Images
Ethical and Joey Jonz will relish the Trentham conditions this afternoon.
The footing at Trentham today will be diabolically heavy.
Rather than that being a disincentive, it should see a couple of pretty good winter gallopers return to their best form.
Northerners Ethical (No6, R5) and Joey Jonz (No2, R7) both raced below expectations last start, remarkably the tracks were not heavy enough for them.
That will not be a problem at Trentham this afternoon.
Ethical ran last in the Taumarunui Cup at Te Rapa a week ago, rider Brendan Hutton declaring the Waikato surface, which hampered quite a few that day, was right against Ethical.
The Cambridge mare revels in the worst of winter tracks, which is exactly what she faces this afternoon.
Ethical will be ridden by southern apprentice Racha Cuneen, but with no claims in the Parliamentary, Ethical is required to carry her full 55kg.
Joey Jonz did not manage the footing at Tauranga last start, but at Ellerslie the time before he won well at Ellerslie in footing similar to what he will strike today.
He was handicapped as equal second topweight here, but with Kei Chiong's 2kg allowance he will go around with just 52.5kg.
Difficult to see Superturf (No5, R2) beaten in the Wellington Hurdles.
He simply has too much speed on the flat for his opposition.
Unlike the previous couple of Ruakaka meetings, today's card is minus a few gilt edged propositions.
Local Donna Logan should still win two or three, but none of them look over the line. Perhaps that stable's best is To Be Sure (No5, R6), who just failed to catch Spin Doctor in his last start here.
Probably the most interesting runner all day is Moochi Me (No3) in Race 1. She has looked good winning three of only six starts and was unlucky enough to bleed at her last race last year. She has been in work for a lengthy spell and should be ready enough for a 1000m race on a decent surface. So Wotif (No1) is going to carry his full 59kg, which will not be easy, but he has his share of ability.
Stradivarius (No2, R3) made a big impression winning on debut in heavy conditions at Rotorua then went okay when only sixth at Te Rapa. He has been freshened and appeals as a type who will appreciate the better footing here. Last-start winner here Amarula (No1) is the obvious danger despite the wide barrier.
Mongolian Warrior (No5, R4) will be favourite here. He went out favourite on debut on this track recently and although the 1000m looked a touch short for him and he ran on reasonably, it wasn't enough to suggest he's a good thing here over 1200m. He will have learned from that experience to be fair and has to be included in multiples. Queen Of Cool (No10) looked talented in winning on debut at Avondale. That was only 800m, but she was strong late in the race and the step to 1200m should not be an issue. She will take beating.
Donna Logan looks a real chance to produce the quinella in Race 5. She holds strong chances with Fiamente (No5) and Zafrenzy (No6). Fiamente looked capable of stepping up a grade when she went away from the opposition in her last start here. This is a bit tougher, but probably within her scope. Zafrenzy is another last start winner on her home track. The Logan stable also has Big Voices (No1) and Kendoka (No2) engaged.
Logan's Finns Halo (No2, R7) was disqualified after a good run when the rider weighed in light. That puts him in this with a value chance. Stablemate Royal Sceptre (No3) came back to more like his best form last start. Aurora Lights (No5) has drawn badly, but with the right run can be in this finish. Charlie Farley (No1, R9) was not suited at Te Rapa last week and although he has 59kg topweight here, he is not without a chance of upsetting.
A tyro trainer and his novice jumper are set to take on some of the biggest names in the business at Trentham today.
While under no illusions about the task ahead of them in the Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase, Stephen Nickalls is looking forward to the challenge with The Oysterman (No10, R6). "Jumpers are always day to day propositions so you've got to have a go," the Awapuni horseman said.
"We don't expect to win, but we're not going there just to make up the numbers either. He's by Yamanin Vital so when the crunch comes he'll keep on kicking."
The Oysterman was winless in five flat outings and has finished in the money in both his starts over the big fences to date.
He ran second to It's A Message in his jumping debut and was then fourth behind Bally Heights at Trentham two runs back.
"I've been over the moon with both his runs - he went to the Te Rapa race without a hurdle start so it was straight in at the deep end and when he ran fourth, Mr Mor was second and Wotabuzz was third."
Wotabuzz is trained by Laura Knight, partner of Nickalls who races The Oysterman with her family.
"John Bary had him as a three-year-old and he didn't show a lot so he was turned out and then he did some show jumping," Nickalls said.
"I saw him jump and liked him, but he kept going sore as a five and six-year-old so we didn't do anything with him." Now seven, The Oysterman will also benefit from the booking of leading jockey Shaun Fannin on Saturday.
"Kevin Myers rang me on Tuesday morning to say Shaun didn't have a ride and we could have him so we jumped at the chance," Nickalls said. Additional reporting NZ Racing Desk