Racing: Pacific Dragon sent north to fire

Speedster Pacific Dragon will start a dominant favourite in the $30,000 two-year-old race in the north. Photo / Supplied

It is rare a juvenile with Pacific Dragon's record returns to racing in winter but trainer Tony Pike says the filly is off to Ruakaka on Saturday to claim back some of what she lost in the summer.

The speedster will start a dominant favourite in the $30,000 two-year-old race in the north, with many trainers heading there hoping for slightly better track conditions than what they can expect on the rest of the country's turf tracks in coming weeks.

But improved track conditions still don't explain why a filly who won, then lost, one of our biggest two-year-old races at Ellerslie on New Year's Day is doing at Ruakaka in winter.

Pacific Dragon fought off star filly Wolverine in the $120,000 Group 2 Eclipse Stakes that day, only to have the result changed in the inquiry room because she rolled out.

Pike isn't arguing with that decision but says it, and what happened after that race, are reasons why Pacific Dragon is returning to racing now.

"That was a Group 2 so while she still has that placing, losing that race was quite costly for her broodmare value," he explains.

"She then had no luck in the Karaka Million where she ran fifth after missing the kick and was probably over the top when she ran fifth in the Matamata Breeders.

"So while she has that Group 2 placing we would like a black-type win and we think we have an ideal programme for her to get one.

"She can race this Saturday, have a five-week break to the $60,000 final of this series back at Ruakaka and then two weeks to the Ryder Stakes which is a Listed race to end the season.

"That is a nice little winter campaign that could make her a black-type winner and then in the spring, at this stage, she is likely to join Henry Dwyer's stable in Victoria."

So will Pacific Dragon, the best performed juvenile in the race, make the most of barrier four?

"I think she probably will. She trialled well to get ready for this and she has class on them," says Pike. "She is fresh-up after a long time away but she can jump and run handy and that is a real advantage at Ruakaka."

Pike also has Patton in the race, the compact colt already an Ellerslie winner and set to get a run handy to the speed, but while Pike says he has not finished winning yet, Pacific Dragon is the stable's clear best chance.

Pike will send only one other horse north for the meeting which hosts eight qualifying races for the Whangārei series, with a finals meeting at Ruakaka on July 16.

"Magic Show (R7, No 7) is a nice filly who is fresh for this week but won a trial recently so she should race well albeit from a tricky draw."

Meanwhile, the bulk of Pike's Queensland team has returned after campaigns where chances were washed away by rain.

"The whole campaign was a mess. Once it rained that hard it was tough to work them, tough to race on. But most of them are home safe and well.

"Letzbeglam [Eagle Farm, R9, No 10] is still over there and races on Saturday."