Racing: Selfie in Sires Stakes picture

Photo / Thinkstock

One fact sticks in your mind when summing up the chances of Selfie in tomorrow's Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes at Awapuni.

It's the final 130m of the juvenile event he finished a close second to Rocanto in at Matamata last start on February 21.

Selfie started favourite in that race, but lost a huge advantage when he appeared to simply walk out of the barriers to land a clear last.

With only six in the race, that disadvantage is not quite the same as in a 14-horse field, but the ground still has to be made up.

Selfie did a magnificent job of sprinting at the talented Rocanto late, but it was too late and he missed narrowly.

Previously Selfie had been run down late by Queenslander Hardline in the Karaka Million, an effort as good as any winning run by a 2-year-old in New Zealand this season, so he has the right formline going into New Zealand's second and last group one juvenile event for the season.

The crowning glory is the No1 barrier, while Rocanto has to contend with the outside of the field in gate No 13. At this level and in this particular field that should equate to an advantage of a couple of lengths, more than enough to turn around the Matamata result.

Even though horse racing has no mathematical basis, the barriers are significant.

Selfie's Matamata rider Leith Innes this time rides another of the main dangers in Marky Mark and Opie Bosson climbs into the saddle for the first time.

After winning his first two races stylishly, Marky Mark finished only fourth behind Dal Cielo in the Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie last start, but there are two strong reasons to believe he can improve on that effort.

The first is that he found himself at least one place further back than desirable in the Diamond. It meant Leith Innes was required to sprint him before the home bend. Marky Mark didn't cope well, cannoned into a horse outside him and became badly unbalanced. To pick himself up again and sprint hard was impressive.

"He won't be asked to sprint until he's straightened up and balanced this time," says trainer Moira Murdoch.

The gap between the Eclipse Stakes and Diamond Stakes (Jan 1-Mar 7) was long without a barrier trial and Marky Mark can be guaranteed to be fitter this time. "Yes, he is a bit fitter," said Murdoch, who does not expect a problem with the first race on a left-handed track.

In anticipation of this race becoming an eventual target Murdoch ran Marky Mark at a Rotorua barrier trial meeting before his debut.

With rain around much has yet to be decided before these horses even head to the barrier, but the Selfie/Marky Mark clash should be a beaut.

It's anyone's guess where Rocanto will end up from his outside gate, so his chances are impossible to guess at. What we do know is he has the ability to turn this race on its head with the right run.

Local Platinum Express has plenty of ability, even though she was run down at Trentham last start. The 1400m might suit her.