Racing: Karaka Million pair for stakes?

Warren Kennedy may have to make a decision if Prowess heads to the Herbie Dyke Stakes. Photo / Trish Dunell

Two of the stars of Karaka Million night could be about to inject some class into New Zealand’s floundering weight-for-age races.

Karaka Mile winner Prowess and runner-up Wild Night could both take on the older horses next in the $450,000 Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa on February 11, our richest weight-for-age race.

The open-age horses lack a star past the 1600m distance, with over a dozen of New Zealand’s best gallopers retired in the last 18 months while some of those remaining prefer to target Australian riches, leaving a gap at the top of the weight-for-age races.

While horses like Zabeel Classic winner Defibrillate, Prise De Fer and Coventina Bay are no pushovers, they are also hardly as intimidating as some of the weight-for-age stars of recent years, so the elite races look ripe for the picking for the better three-year-olds.

Victoria Derby runner-up Sharp ‘N’ Smart has long been tipped as a Herbie Dyke starter but that could depend on his performance in the Thorndon Mile at Trentham this Saturday, a fall-back race for him after he missed the Wellington Guineas nine days ago.

But the trainers of both Prowess and Wild Night suggest they could head straight to the 2000m Group 1 after they quinellaed the $1 million three-year-old race at Pukekohe on Saturday.

“We are looking that way but we have two options,” says Prowess’ co-trainer Roger James.

“We could also go to the fillies race [Ellis Classic] the same day but the Herbie Dyke makes a fair bit of sense.

“She would only carry 52kgs and I think the 2000m would suit her and the weight-for-age ranks aren’t as daunting as they can be.

“So we will see how she comes through Saturday and with both races being 2000m she would undergo the same preparation regardless.”

If Prowess heads to the Herbie Dyke that will leave rider Warren Kennedy with a decision to make, as he was also on Defibrillate when he won the Zabeel Classic.

Trainer Mark Walker says he and rider Opie Bosson agree the time is right to step Wild Night up to 2000m after his second in the Karaka Mile.

“He is racing like a 2000m horse so all going well his next start will be the Herbie Dyke,” says Walker.

Walker will give his Karaka Million contenders, headlined by winner Tokyo Tycoon, five days off before deciding which ones press on to chase the two domestic Group 1s, starting with the Sistema Stakes on March 11.

“The plan would be for Tokyo Tycoon and Trobriand to both go to the Sistema, probably via a race at Matamata (February 25).”

Saturday’s Westbury Classic winner Imperatriz will head straight to the BCD Sprint at Te Rapa on February 11 but the immediate plans for Almanzor Trophy winner Maven Belle are not so clear after she was galloped on in the three-year-old race.

“She has lost some skin off a back leg so we will know she is in a couple of days before making a decision on her, but all going well her aim would be the Levin Classic at Trentham.”