Racing: Hoping for change of luck

One of the unluckiest runners in the Interdominion Pacers' Final makes his return to the racetrack tonight in the Frucor Beverages Free-For-All, the main leadup to next week's Easter Cup.

Bobs Blue Boy was one of the few horses in the series who thrived on the format of four races in two weeks. He won on the last night of heats but did not get a proper chance to show his wares in the final.

"I felt really sorry for the horse actually," said trainer Steve Roulston.

"He was never put in the race and was wide when he did move, then even wider around the turn.

"He ran to the line better than anything.

"But that's been and gone now."

While the final itself was a frustrating experience for Roulston, the series as a whole did confirm that the horse he describes as a "big, laid-back bugger" is definitely able to compete in the very best company.

Since the final, Bobs Blue Boy has had a relatively easy time and can be expected to be closer to his peak in the Easter Cup.

"I gave him three days off and haven't hoppled him since.

"He's jumping out of his skin actually.

"He won't be far away on Friday," Roulston said.

There will be plenty of familiar opponents for Bobs Blue Boy, with five of the field having raced in the Interdominion Final and a further four having gone to Auckland for the series without making it as far as the big race.

The only other horses to have won an Interdominion Heat at Auckland, Young Rufus and Jagged Account, have drawn one and two, with the latter's great speed from the mobile sure to play a part.

Also drawn well in four is Sly Flyin, who performed solidly at the Interdoms and got closest to Elsu in the Final.

An interesting runner many will not have been expecting to see line up in New Zealand again is Hexus.

The horse, formerly trained in Australia by Damian Gallagher, performed well at the Interdominions when in the care of Canterbury trainer Jeff Whittaker.

The horse certainly wasn't feeling the effects of the regular racing when finishing tenth in the Final, Whittaker said.

"He was quite the opposite, to be honest.

"After the last heat I was a bit worried about it so I gave him a pretty easy week and that was probably the wrong thing to do. He just started to get tired in the last bit."

Hexus is best known for his ability to unleash a brilliant sprint when saved for one run but Whittaker says he doesn't have to be driven that way.

"Greg [Bennett] drove him great the first couple of nights but he can do a bit of work as well. I think he'll be a chance but the field's a bit better than I thought it would be. All 12 look pretty even."

Whittaker's plans past tonight are for Hexus to race in the Easter Cup before campaigning in Auckland in early May.

After that, the Miracle Mile placegetter will likely return to Australia.

Although the Frucor Free-For-All is the most noteworthy race on the night, it is not the richest. That distinction belongs to the $70,000 PGG NZ Yearling Sales 3yo Trot, though that race also holds the dubious distinction of being quite possibly the weakest field ever to compete for such a stake.

While sales-series races for trotters often do struggle for quality, tonight's race is particularly weak.

The field's combined record at tote races is 51 starts for one win and five placings.

The horse to beat appears to be On My Way, who was group two placed last season.

Other chances are Lleyton H (whose older brother Tony H won this race in 2002) and Power In Motion, the only tote racewinner in the field.

Power In Motion is also notable for being the only horse by Christian Cullen to have won a trotting race, something that seems especially serendipitous given that his mother was named Rarity.