Giving weight to some of his opposition is not gong to be easy, but there is no escaping that Ginga Dude is probably still the horse to beat in tomorrow's $60,000 Westbury Stud Classic at Pukekohe.
The 58.5kg topweight looks formidable, but it's the same weight as Ginga Dude beat
Sir Slick with at Ellerslie last start and he'll be a fitter horse for this.
Like a few here, Ginga Dude is prepping for the Kelt Capital Stakes in two weeks time.
But unlike the likes of Boundless and Gallions Reach, he is just as comfortable at tomorrow's 1600m as 2000m and a bit further.
There was a lot to like about Ginga Dude's Ellerslie performance.
With Sir Slick claiming an apprentice allowance Ginga Dude was receiving only .5kg from the big winner and nailed him late with Andrew Calder driving the horse only when required to win.
Pukekohe suits Ginga Dude even more than Ellerslie because the long home straight will allow Calder to time the topweight's impressive sprint to suit the horse, not to suit the race.
But it won't be easy. Boundless looked good getting home strongly late to be just .6 lengths behind Ginga Dude at Ellerslie. She is going to be greatly assisted by the step this time from 1400m to 1600m as well as by the long run in from the home corner.
At Ellerslie Boundless was getting 3kg off Ginga Dude, a gap that widens to 4kg for this race. Boundless is top class and if she is to be a Kelt Capital threat at weight-for-age she will need to go close here under handicap conditions.
Nom Du Jeu is the hugely interesting runner. Things have not been right with the Derby winner since resuming work this preparation and it will be very interesting to see if the measures that have been taken to correct things can turn him around. At his best he'd be the favourite here.
Taking The Mickey got to the line powerfully over the 1400m behind Ginga Dude at Ellerslie and is expected to appreciate the additional 200m and High Octane got no luck at all in the Merial Mile at Awapuni last week.
The runaway winner of that race Elblitzem is fronting up again and you've got Gallions Reach to add even more to the race. A fabulous contest.
There are also a stack of great betting races on the card.
Not the least of them will be the clash between a real rising sprinting star in Morelle and Harshada, Salvatore and Castles Burning.
In Race 7, The Mooseisloose might get a well deserved win. He's been trying hard and got no luck when narrowly beaten by one of his rivals again tomorrow, Chatemup, at Ellerslie last start.
Nicole Amy, a certainty beaten when second at Ellerslie last time out, has unfortunately drawn wide in Race 9. She couldn't possibly cover more ground than she did at Ellerslie and if Paul Jenkins decided to run her anyway, she could still win.
Sam's Town, in Race 10, was stiff at Hastings last start.
PUKEKOHE TIPS
1: Adaline, Earnest Ernest, Try Time
2: Pepita, Golan's Lass, Indy Star
3: Lord Carson, Sir Oscar, Keep The Recipe
4: Venkat, Beautiful Girl, Headsup
5: Morelle, Harshada, Salvatore
6: Bounce, Kawatiri, Penumbra
7: Themooseisloose, Montjee, Chatemup
8: Ginga Dude, Boundless, Nom du Jeu
9: Nicole Amy, Pennacchio, Jungle Boots
10: Sam's Town, Carchelo, Spin A Fortune
Boundless looked good getting home strongly behind Ginga Dude last fortnight at Ellerslie. Photo / Keny Rodger
Giving weight to some of his opposition is not gong to be easy, but there is no escaping that Ginga Dude is probably still the horse to beat in tomorrow's $60,000 Westbury Stud Classic at Pukekohe.
The 58.5kg topweight looks formidable, but it's the same weight as Ginga Dude beat
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