Racing: Pick6 last leg may be best place to start

There might be, just might be, a couple of ways of cutting down the cost of a crack at today's $250,000 Pick6 at Rotorua.

Saying a winter Pick6 is difficult is like saying it might have been ordinary at 11pm at Twizal last night.

But the money is up and that means the punters will arrive for today's big pool.

Class is often negated by winter wet tracks, but not when the horses are able to handle the mud.

The last leg of today's Pick6 might offer one of the clues.

Because Rotorua is against the Northern norm of right-handed racing, Central Districts horses often shine and in R10 Ex Ex Al (No9) and Lord Monty (No10), a couple of smart CDers, might be too good for the opposition.

Which means a narrow end to the Pick6 that you don't often get.

Both have been in fabulous form lately, Ex Ex Al winning three of his lifetime starts, three from four on his preferred heavy footing. Those are great stats for this race.

Lord Monty's are almost better. The late starter has had only four career outings for two wins and two seconds. He has looked extraordinary in a couple of those and he poses a real threat.

If you are one of those who likes extra insurance in a last Pick6 leg perhaps yet another visitor in Sheza Dooley (No1) with a 2kg allowance might appeal and so should last-start winner Rutas Gift (No14).

Sheza Dooley's stablemate Hautap Honey (No3, R5) holds a strong hand in the first Pick6 leg. The 3kg Craig Grylls takes off her back will be important in today's tough conditions.

Grand Chevaux (No8) has looked smart for a while and his maiden win two starts back reflected that. The third to Spare The Detail at 1200m looked good and the step to 1400m is just what he's looking for.

The Rogerson/Autridge stable has decided not to claim off Sable's (No1, R6) 57.5kg topweight, which suggests the connections feel the mare is up to the task.

It is a useful rather than an ordinary line-up and the job will not be easy, but the filly has two very good stats, she has won on the heavy and won at Rotorua.

She is a must-include and so are Packsapunch (No5) and Havascotch (No3).

If Shanamann (No1, R7) had run and won at Rotorua you might consider him a Pick6 anchor, but Rotorua is not a course you take chances with on horses that have not previous consumed the fumes of sulpher city.

Shanamann simply left them behind in the Cornwall Handicap at Ellerslie last start and under the same weight of 58kg he looks, on paper, to be well off, but this is a better line-up.

Miles (No4), Woodbury Lane (No5) and Rotorua Cop winner Gliding are clearly Pick6 musts and it is difficult ignoring almost all of the others. If you are going for a very small percentage Pick6, the field job here might not be a silly option.

The fourth leg of Pick6 comes down to what Magnetism (No1, R8) does. Despite his 60.5kg topweight he can win on sheer class alone if he does everything right. That's not been his method for 12 months or more, but he has had excuses and the time is now right for him to produce his best again.

If he doesn't, or is not quite fit enough in his first start since November, then Superalloy (No3) will take some beating. He was probably denied victory when stopped in his momentum halfway down the home straight at Te Rapa last start and should be fractionally fitter for this.

Those two give good coverage for punters taking a small Pick6, those wanting to go a fraction wider might look at Madamvizelle (No9).

Race 9, the second-last leg is tough. Ascot Isle (No10) won a better race than this on the course two starts back, only to have the race declared null and void. Give her another chance to score along with Aimee's Idol (No1), Sea Shells (No6) and Spare The Detail (No15).

The chances do not end there.

Watch for New Zealand's Ring Of Fire (No3, R7) in his Australian debut in the A$175,000 Tattersalls Cup at Eagle Farm in Brisbane at 6pm tonight.

He is up to winning this in his first start in the really big time.