KEY POINTS:
Weight is the critical determining factor in horse racing.
Yet it is not just the weight itself - relative weight is what actually defines results.
Which is why Sir Slick faces a mammoth task in attempting to emulate Grey Way and win tomorrow's $200,000 First Sovereign Trust Easter
Handicap at Ellerslie.
Grey Way won the 1977 Easter Handicap carrying 60.5kg in one of the great Easters of the modern era.
Sir Slick has the same weight, but there is a difference.
Grey Way beat another outstanding galloper in Vice Regal, who had only 52kg, but the next two home and those regarded as his biggest dangers, Kiwi Can and Tudor Light - who dead-heated for third - carried 58kg and 59.5kg.
Bob Skelton declared years later it was perhaps Grey Way's finest performance.
Don't forget the remarkable Washdyke grey won 51 races, so there were a few to chose from.
Sir Slick's main opposition is likely to come from the likes of Ginga Dude, Sterling Prince and Culminate, who have 52.5kg, 53kg and 53kg.
And giving a horse of Ginga Dude's talent 8kg will not be easy.
"I think he'll have to be a Houdini to win," is the frank comment from part-owner and trainer Graeme Nicholson.
Nicholson has no thoughts of backing off this race, which the trainer says Sir Slick needs as part of his preparation for his upcoming Hong Kong and Singapore campaigns.
Although Sir Slick has now won three times at Ellerslie - after being a maiden on the track for seasons - the course does not suit him like, say Trentham.
Ellerslie is a difficult track to lead on in major races and, unlike Trentham where he rails perfectly, Sir Slick always runs off the rail on the home bend at Ellerslie.
That allows horse to attack either side of him - often the downfall of noted front-runners.
"He'll give it a good shot, but the last 150m might start to tell on him. We'll see," said Nicholson.
We'd all like to see Sir Slick win this race, but in reality it's going to be extremely difficult.
Tauranga trainer Jim Pender has enormous respect for Sir Slick, but he rates the lighter weighted horses Sterling Prince and Culminate as bigger dangers to his horse Ginga Dude.
Ginga Dude confirmed the talent he has always promised when he powered home late to take the Japan/ New Zealand Trophy on his home track last start.
The effort had group one potential written all over it.
He drew barrier No 2 at Tauranga and this time he has gate No 14 - but Pender is delighted.
"That's much better," he said. "He'll come into No 10 or No 11, which means we'll be able to roll forward and be ready to make a run when we want to instead of being dictated to as he would if he'd drawn inside.
"At Tauranga he had no option but to drop back when he was squeezed in that early rush."
Ginga Dude came from near last to win that day and Pender says, hopefully, the horse will sit much handier this time.
He also admits riders in big mile events at Ellerslie almost need five different plans because of the difficulty in predicting the likely racing scenario.
But he's happy with Ginga Dude's training since his last race.
"It's a little bit difficult to gauge him because he's become very settled in his work, but he's doing very well."
Sterling Prince was caught in the last stride by Ginga Dude at Tauranga.
He is a very underrated and consistent galloper and meets Ginga Dude 1kg better off this time.
Similarly, his draw looks perfect for him.
Pasta Post is the interesting runner. We know him best as a stayer these days, but he's had two runs at this 1600m distance and won them both.
He is coming off a beaten run in the 3200m Wellington, but goes well fresh. He poses a real threat on 54kg.
Interestingly, the TAB yesterday opened him up at $7 favourite in front of Sterling Prince and Ginga Dude at $8, Culminate on $9, Sir Slick $10 and last week's group one winner Special Mission at $12. Another lightweight, Shariat's On Fire, is quoted at $13.
HUGE TASK
* Sir Slick faces a massive task to win tomorrow's big Ellerslie metric mile with 60.5kg.
* It's the same weight the mighty Grey Way carried to win the race in 1977 - often thought of as the best of his 51 victories.
* Sir Slick has to give the impressive Ginga Dude 8kg and Sterling Prince 7.5kg.
