Habana has been dynamic at Pukekohe, where he is unbeaten in four starts. He has the ability to run handy to the speed, which could be crucial as many of the other favoured runners also like to race near the pace and have the draws to do that, so giving them a start would be difficult.
Habana also has Warren Kennedy in the saddle. Kennedy has ridden 21 winners from just 74 starts at Pukekohe, a remarkable winner every 3.5 rides. He also gets on well with Habana, with four wins from six.
Habana deserves favouritism for the Easter but the Group 3 has an even feel with Tavattack, White Noise and Belle Of The Ball all in good form, The Perfect Pink eyecatching last start and Maronni a smart galloper albeit poorly weighted.
Today’s other Group 3, the Championship Stakes, looks to have fewer chances with Arby, Desert Lightning and Cheval D’Or earning the trifecta in a similar race at Awapuni three weeks ago and one of them should win today, although Texas looks a progressive stayer and was a last-start ninth in the New Zealand Derby.
The other feature today is the Champagne Stakes which sees the juveniles extend out to 1600m and while it has few race winners in the field, it can be a great guide to next season’s staying races as this time last year Sharp ‘N’ Smart won it beating Waitak and Mr Maestro.
Pukekohe isn’t the only home to black-type racing today with Riccarton hosting the $100,000 Gold Cup and $65,000 Stakes on what will be a wet track after heavy rain yesterday.
That could play havoc for many of the fillies already stretching to get 2000m in the Stakes but it won’t bother the in-form Times Ticking in the Gold Cup as he has won six times and been placed twice in 10 heavy track starts.
