Racing: Hard task ahead of rising star

The toughest field he has ever faced and an interrupted preparation has trainer Richard Anderson reserved about the chances of rising star Mi Muchacho in tonight's Spring Cup.

The distinctive grey gelding, who has been tipped by many as the next member of the ranks of elite harness horses, was progressing well towards his resumption until a foot problem set him back.

"He had a seedy toe," explained Anderson. "It was a fungal and bacterial problem under his shoe. If it had been left it would have kept eating away at his hoof but it was easy enough to deal with once found.

"The hoof is coming back well and its not troubling him now.

Last season Mi Muchacho cemented his status as the next big thing in harness racing with a crushing victory in the group one Messenger Championship, a win that confirmed him as 4-year-old of the year.

The form out of that age-group was made to look sound after Myron won last week's Empire Forwarding Mobile Pace in his first attempt against open-class company.

Last season Mi Muchacho enjoyed a 3-2 edge over Myron on the five occasions they met.

Anderson has surprised many with his cautious comments regarding Mi Muchacho's New Zealand Cup prospects, though he admits he is not one to talk greatly about future goals until present ones have been accomplished.

"I have seen so many horses look good against their own age but then find it much more difficult against the open-class horses," said Anderson. "I just want to take it one step at a time.

"He's done pretty well during his break. He is carrying an extra pound or two and may need the run, but we'll wait and see.

"He's not a horse who needs a lot of work but last week we saw three or four of them blow out in the last 50 metres and he might be the same."

Mi Muchacho's opposition includes the entire field that contested the Empire Forwarding Mobile Pace.

While Myron did impress in winning that race, and Just An Excuse would have improved significantly, the best run in the race was certainly provided by the often-overlooked Sly Flyin.

The former outstanding two and three-year-old has had a remarkably low-profile in the last three seasons, after an injury quickly made it apparent he would not attain the champion status many had predicted for him.

Now, as a hardened veteran of the open-class ranks, the 7-year-old may be in for his best season yet.

Rather amazingly, tonight's feature trot will also feature a horse nominated for the New Zealand Cup.

While it is far more likely that Delft will be targeted at the Dominion Handicap, his nomination for the pacers' feature did cause ripples.

TAB bookmaker Paul Lally opened the horse at $150 for the Cup, a price that he acknowledges is conservative.

"I consider him an extremely unlikely winner of the New Zealand Cup," said Lally, "but why would we put him at 500-1 when punters are backing him at 150-1?"

Delft's trainer, Michelle Wallis, says that despite a couple of recent workout wins the giant trotter will take plenty of improvement from tonight's race.

"He's not up to full fitness," said Wallis. "He's got some pretty big missions in store but you've got to start somewhere."

Delft will be driven by Peter Davis, as regular driver Tony Herlihy will be piloting his stable newcomer Wee Annie.

"Peter flew up on Wednesday morning to drive him in fast work," said Wallis. "It's a learning curve for him but although Delft isn't the easiest horse to drive, he doesn't pull and he's pretty tractable."

Spring Cup

* Class field includes Just An Excuse and Alta Serena.

* A foot problem has interrupted Mi Muchacho's return to racing.

* Myron, winner of his first open-class race last week, is back again.