Racing: Jamie Richards - Dynamo Dynastic deserves to be favourite

Dynastic winning the Karaka Million 2YO. Photo / Trish Dunell

Karaka Million winner Dynastic has had an easy time since his huge payday victory but he is spot-on for Sunday's potentially even more important Sistema Stakes.

The juvenile star hasn't raced since landing some huge bets winning the $1 million event on January 22, but is still the favourite for Sunday's $240,000 Group 1 after drawing the ace.

While the Sistema is worth less than a quarter of the Karaka Million stake, it is one of only two Group 1 juvenile races in New Zealand and with Dynastic being a colt by new popular sire Almanzor, a Group 1 for Dynastic could have huge potential payoffs in years to come.

That would also be the case for his six rivals as the males are all colts (not gelded) and the fillies would enormously increase their future broodmare value with a Group 1 juvenile win.

But it is Dynastic who goes into Sunday with the big reputation a Karaka Million win as favourite earns, even though his stablemate Maven Belle is unbeaten in three starts and every other rival has shown enough on occasion to suggest they are up to this level.

Trainer Jamie Richards says for all the talent of his fillies Maven Belle and I Choose You, Dynastic deserves to be favourite.

"He is a high-class horse and is very well going into this," says Richards.

"I gave him quite an easy time after the Karaka Million. He had two weeks off and a week on the water walker.

"But he had a couple of good gallops before trialling well in an open catchweight and then has had a couple of good hitouts since.

"So he is ready and barrier one should help. I can see him being just in behind the speed and then it will be [jockey] Opie [Bosson]'s job to get him a clear run at the right time."

Richards expects I Choose You to improve with the addition of side winkers on Sunday while Maven Belle couldn't have done more than win her only three starts.

"She is a very good filly but being drawn wide really doesn't help her chances as she is going to need to be clearly better than them to beat them."

Richards also takes Amarelinha to the $240,000 Bonecrusher Stakes on Sunday and says she has been crying out for 2000m and will relish the return to Ellerslie, so rates her a top each-way chance albeit in a good weight-for-age field.

While Sunday's meeting is the highlight of the racing weekend, Richards takes a strong team to Pukekohe tomorrow and suggests Kai (R4, No 12) is his best chance.