Racing: Millennium back to his old self

A first-up winning run this season flattened Millennium and it has taken three months to get him back to form.

The signs of returning form came in the $50,000 Alister Simpson Challenge Stakes.

It happened just in time - Millennium is going out for a summer spell after Wednesday's $150,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Avondale Cup.

Millennium paraded looking better than he has all season and clerk of the course Ross Coles was the first to wake up that it was a different Millennium.

"We lead him to the start every race and recently he's been quiet. This time I could barely manage him and I said to PD [jockey Peter Johnson], 'Today's the day'."

Johnson said afterwards he knew he was on the Millennium of old.

Well-fancied St Reims got away with a soft lead, but Millennium mastered him more easily than the long-neck margin suggested.

"The 1600m is a bit short for him now," said co-trainer Stephen McKee. "He gets to the front in a race like that and he can't explode away, but they're never going to get past him."

Because Saturday's race was at weight-for-age, Millennium cannot be re-handicapped for the Avondale Cup and comes in nicely on 54kg, although the extreme outside barrier draw at No17 is a major concern.

"He can run anyway and with Leica Guv drawn reasonably wide, he'll go forward and the field should split up quiet nicely early," said McKee yesterday. "He appears to have come through the race nicely."

After the race Taranaki trainer Allan Sharrock had a change of plans for Woburn after a stylish third.

"We were looking at some fairly soft options like the Marton Cup and Trentham Stakes, but after that run I think we'll run in the $200,000 group one on the final day of the carnival here [at Ellerslie] on January 2.

"I want to run him in the Auckland Cup, but not for another year when he's 5 and big and strong. He's not ready for it yet."

Trainer Mark Walker thought after the race that he would spell Maroofity, who finished sixth, but has changed his mind.

"I talked it over with the owners and they agreed that we'd go for one more start," said Walker.

Maroofity raced very fiercely for rider Lee Rutherford and had no real finish despite finishing within three lengths of the winner.

"It's possible that 1600m might be the extent of his distance," said Walker, "but because he pulled so hard in this race we are going to let him have one opportunity to see what he can do at a longer distance.

"He may not see out the 2000m of the Avondale Guineas on Saturday but it will be the test of what he can do.

"If he can't see that distance out he'll immediately go out for a spell."

Surprize Surprize refused to settle for rider Noel Harris. She was still at the back of the small field at the top of the straight and at no stage got clear galloping room ahead, beating only Sir Kinloch home.