Racing: No wondering about visitor's credentials

Horse racing Start Wondering at Te Rapa. Photo / Trish Dunell

Start Wondering is at the top of his game for his New Year's Day assignment, according to his Wanganui co-trainer.

The sparingly-raced 6-year-old has delighted his handlers with his progress toward the Sistema Railway at Ellerslie tomorrow.

"There's no doubt he's spot on," said Evan Rayner, who trains Start Wondering with his daughter J. J. "He looks great and he's working and eating well."

Start Wondering joined the stable after successful stints with Paul Belsham and in Sydney with Chris Waller, where his time was cut short by a bleeding attack.

The son of the ill-fated Zabeel stallion Eighth Wonder was an impressive first-up winner for the Rayner stable of the Legacy Lodge Sprint at Te Rapa, where he beat the defending Railway champion Ryan Mark.

Start Wondering then stepped out in the Levin Stakes, but his sprinting prowess was blunted by a heavily rain-affected track.

"He just didn't handle it at all," Rayner said. "He had won on a heavy track in Australia, but it was nowhere near as bad as Otaki.

"Johnathan Parkes knew 800 metres from home that he couldn't win so he didn't knock him around and the horse has really trained on well since then."

Start Wondering also holds nominations at Trentham for the J. R. & N. Berkett Telegraph and the Harcourts Thorndon Mile.

"We'll see what happens at Ellerslie and we nominated him for the Thorndon just in case he might be looking for the mile," Rayner said.

"If he won the Railway really well then we would definitely be looking at the Telegraph."

Hasahalo is the sole maiden contesting the Barneswood Farm Eclipse Stakes (1200m), but if Auckland trainer Stephen McKee has his way, she won't be afterwards.

The Savabeel filly earned a start in the juvenile feature after charging home to almost deny the unbeaten Gift Of Power her third straight win in this month's Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1200m) at Trentham.

"She finished off really well," McKee said. "She's been good so far and everything's gone right with her in the build up to this one, though she's come up with barrier six, which could be a bit awkward."

Hasahalo was thrust straight into stakes company on debut, but lost any chance at the start of the Murdoch Newell Stakes at Pukekohe after she was crowded and checked soon after the barriers opened.

"She wiped herself out at the start the first time at the races, then skied her head after that and got it all wrong," McKee said.

"But we've always known she had the ability and she's just the type who could be a real chance in the Karaka Million if she can draw in close and get a nice run in behind them. We're really happy with her."

TAB bookmakers installed Hasahalo as the $5.50 fourth favourite for the Eclipse Stakes behind Gift Of Power at $3.30, Talaria at $3.70 and Princess Rihanna at $4.20.

- NZ Racing Desk