Racing: Jip Jip Rock big chance at Ellerslie

Jip Jip Rock runs in race 7 at Ellerslie today. Photo / Race Images

The best three-year-old filly Peter and Dawn Williams take to Ellerslie today may not be their best chance.

Because while Peter Williams believes glamour girl Media Sensation is forward enough to win her comeback race against the older horses in the open sprint, he leans toward Jip Jip Rock's as the stable's best chance of a strong team today.

Both fillies have genuine class but Media Sensation is the undoubted stable star, winning the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton in November.

Little went right during her two-race summer campaign with a wet track blunting her in the Eight Carat on Boxing Day while she got trapped three wide in a red hot Karaka Classic.

The Williamses haven't taxed her since and admit today's $35,000 Electrolux Sprint is a lead-up to her main domestic aim of the autumn, the Cambridge Breeders Stakes.

"She is forward enough to be a real chance but she hasn't had a trial and has only had about five gallops this campaign," Peter Williams offers.

"But it is only a small field and I think there will be some pace on so she can win. But it is not easy in this grade."

Punters are going to be keen to back Media Sensation for both the feelgood factor of comeback jockey Michael Coleman or the fact she oozes group one class in a field where you can make a case against the fitness or racing pattern of others.

But three-year-old fillies winning open class sprints are rare and Media Sensation is getting only 2kg from Stratocaster, who has won three good sprint races this season, while she carries the same weight as Yearn, who was third in the Westbury Classic two starts ago and performed okay in a well-named Lightning Handicap last start.

While cases can be made for and against Media Sensation, it is hard to look past stablemate Jip Jip Rock in race seven.

She was a quick improver last campaign when second in the listed Trevor Eagle Memorial and was one of the most eyecatching runs on Auckland Cup day when she flew home for third in a strong field.

"She has come through that well and we are aiming her at the Championship Stakes on April 20," says Williams, suggesting the step up to 1600m can only help.

"She has come through her first up run very well and she would be our best chance this weekend."

Not to say that Jip Jip Rock is the end of the stable's winning hopes as they have a rare three-pronged attack on the juvenile race.

Perhaps the most talented of them at this early stage is Tears Of Jupiter, a $650,000 filly from Karaka last year where she was one of only two yearlings sold by Zoustar.

"We thought she could win fresh-up at Pukekohe but she jumped out of the gate awkwardly and hurt herself a bit, nothing serious."

Prior to that Tears Of Jupiter has beaten subsequent Matamata Breeders Stakes winner Aretha at the trials and she is rated the best chance of the Williams trio even though Rendition at $5 is half of Tears Of Jupiter's $10 TAB quote.

But there is real depth to the race, especially when you consider so many or our really elite juveniles are at Awapuni for the Sires Produce today and Probabeel is in Sydney.

That quality is indicative of the day as most races have a hype horse or regular punter's favourite to drag you in but punters should be careful about those who are likely to get back in larger fields with the rail out 9.5 metres.

With horses having to come right to the outside of the track on the Heavy10 on Auckland Cup day three weeks ago finding the best strip of Ellerslie's home straight could be an interesting test for jockeys today.

By the clock

• 2.40pm $35,000 Open Sprint at ELLERSLIE

• 3pm $225,000 Sires Produce at AWAPUNI

• 3.50pm (NZ time) A$200,000 Tulloch Stakes at ROSEHILL

• 4.20pm $100,000 Awapuni Gold Cup at AWAPUNI

• 6.30pm (NZT) A$1.5 million Tancred Stakes at ROSEHILL