Racing: Punters go for class in Alonzo

Matthew Williamson has ridden some pretty smart horses.

He was aboard when Doriemus won his first race in New Zealand before being sold to Australia.

The Takanini jockey rates Alonzo right up there with the best he's thrown a leg over.

Yet he's still not confident the big horse can resume racing on a winning note in the $45,000 Mason Appliances 4YO at New Plymouth tomorrow.

Williamson puts a question mark on the slow rating of the Pukekura Park surface.

"I might be being too cautious, but I don't know if he'll be able to let down on a slow track."

Alonzo has won three of his four raceday starts - all at Te Rapa - two on a track rated good and the last, on May 21, on a dead surface.

"I know he won on that easy track, but he didn't show the same brilliance as he did in his previous two wins.

"He's got such a great turn of foot and often that type of horse shortens up in their stride on a wet track.

"Class might prevail though."

Punters will be banking on that. Yesterday the TAB opened betting on the Mason Appliances with Alonzo the clear $3.50 favourite, well ahead of Arlingtonboulevard at $5.50 and La Sizeranne at $6.

Alonzo showed he has come back well from his winter spell when he finished a close second to Darci Brahma at the Te Teko trials nearly three weeks ago.

"He has definitely thickened up and there is some more to come yet - he still needs to thicken a bit more through the neck," said Williamson.

Part owner and trainer Margaret Falconer will make up her mind this afternoon. Track conditions are definitely taking a lot of her attention, but she is not greatly concerned.

"I think we'll get away with it.

"Every weather forecast you see is different, but it appears that there will be a few showers later today then pretty much clearing weather."

Yesterday the track was rated 3.9 and slow.

Arlingtonboulevard was hugely impressive in beating Leigh Valley when resuming from a spell at Te Rapa.

She has not raced on a track worse than dead, but like Margaret Falconer, trainer Mark Walker is not sweating.

"She is a definite starter - I suspect she will manage the slow track, but I'm not certain."

Rosetti Bay will run provided the track is not downgraded from slow to heavy. She won at her only start on a slow surface.

She has shown touches of real class, but will not find the 58kg topweight easy to manage in testing conditions.

Roger James said he will decide this afternoon on a start for La Sizeranne.

Taranaki feature

* Alonzo is ready to resume his headlining career, but the slow track at Taranaki is not ideal.

* Trainer Margaret Falconer says she will start Alonzo provided the track rating is not downgraded to heavy.

* Trainer Mark Walker says he suspects Arlingtonboulevard will manage the slow track conditions.