Racing: Ready to start new year again

A brief respite in Kristov's work since a disappointing run on New Year's Day has trainer Phillip Stevens reserved about his prospects in tomorrow's ITM Rural Handicap at Awapuni.

"I gave him a few days off after the Rich Hill Mile," said Stevens, "and then a few days in the swimming pool."

"He's bounced back well but he will definitely be going into it fresh."

Kristov's wonderfully consistent formline was spoiled by a 14th placing in the Rich Hill Mile, the worst run of his career.

But while he was entitled to struggle somewhat after being three-wide without cover for the entire race, trainer Philip Stevens said there might have been an additional reason for the sub-par performance.

"Lisa [Cropp, jockey] said that around the 900m mark an insect or something flew into his ear. He cocked his head and was never happy afterwards so that might have had something to do with it.

"Even with the run he'd had I thought he would have finished a bit closer."

Meanwhile, some minor adjustments to change Captain Cook Stakes winner Hurrah's distinctive high head carriage have co-trainer Shane Kennedy bullish about the horse's prospects in coming months. Hurrah has not raced since November's Couplands Mile but Kennedy nonetheless expects a good showing.

"His work leading in has been super," said Kennedy. "I couldn't be happier with him. We found he had some alignment problems with his feet and made some adjustments. We're hoping he'll fight even better under pressure. He's very well and is fit and ready for Saturday."

Although Hurrah was beaten into third as favourite in the Couplands Mile when last at the races, Kennedy wasn't at all disappointed with that run, saying the track was uneven and Hurrah was never fully comfortable.

After tomorrow's race Hurrah will probably go into the Thorndon Mile and then will be tried over 2000m in the Whakanui Stud International Stakes at Te Rapa.

Also coming in fresh but reportedly forward is the highly touted King Of Ashford.

King Of Ashford's spring campaign didn't live up to his status with bookmakers of early third-favourite for the Kelt Capital Stakes, though trainer Karen Zimmerman says it wasn't entirely the horse's fault.

"If I had to give him a mark out of 10 for how he went in spring I'd give him about a six," said Zimmerman. "I probably pushed him a bit to run at weight-for-age and on tracks that were a bit hard. He's quite forward for Saturday and I expect him to run in the first three."

With so many of the main fancies being fresh to some extent, inexperienced lightweight O'Borio will get his chance to force his way into the field for the Thorndon Mile.

The smart Allan Sharrock-trained galloper has won two of his three starts this campaign, being beaten only by subsequent Railway winner Baldessarini.

Holding a rating of just 89, O'Borio has no fewer than 34 horses ahead of him for the Thorndon Mile but would jump many places with a win tomorrow.