Racing: Separate venues for stablemates

Apart from the right-handed track, one of the reasons John Wheeler sent Medit King to race at Te Awamutu today was to avoid stablemate Uluru on her home track at New Plymouth.

The two races are very similar and Wheeler stands a great chance of winning both.

Which would be good for the stable, which had a hugely unsuccessful punt at Melbourne's provincial Kyneton track on Thursday night on talented former New Zealander Rokocoko.

The dashing black was, of course, named after the flying winger and had to be re-named The Real Rokocoko in Australia because, surprisingly, there was already a horse carrying the same name across the Tasman.

The Real Rokocoko started hot favourite and found the sharp Kyneton 1200m course too short, but the way he powered home to finish second half a length from the winner told you to back him next time over more ground on a roomier course.

To get the freight to do that you can support his two former local stablemates Medit King and Uluru today.

Medit King's third at Awapuni last Saturday was almost completely forgotten sitting behind the dazzling winning performance of Snazzy. That was a better field than he meets in Race 7 at Te Awamutu today and although he is backing up a touch quick, he should go very close.

Uluru (No4, R8 at Pukekura Park) seems able to manage any type of track condition. Yesterday the New Plymouth track was heading towards being dead, which would be about perfect. She should be improved by her two runs lately and will give this field something to think about.

Bedrock (No8, R1 at Te Awamutu) deserves to break maidens. She overaced when third on her home track at Matamata last start and to counteract that trainer Roger Verry has taken the blinkers off and dropped her back in distance, where the pace should be sharper than at 1600m last start.

The Autridge/Rogerson stable holds a strong hand in Race 2 with Wicker (No1) and Pelorus Jack (No8). Pelorus Jack is a three-win horse in what is essentially a one-win race and Claire Anderson will take 1kg off his 58kg. He will be fitter for his first-up Matamata run. Pelorus Jack, with excellent form in the wet, is coming off a break and showed form with a barrier trial third to talented Star Of Rio at Paeroa. Paulamaroof (No4) is never far away when there has been rain around.

Our Lionette (No13, R3) did not get many favours at Ellerslie last start and did not do a bad job to finish sixth. She has been threatening to win one and this would be a good opportunity. She has shown she can manage some cut in the ground.

The Graeme Sanders-Debbie Sweeney team love winning races on their home track and Florence May (No5, R8) gives them a good shot here. Her overall form has been sound and she might have got the money last time if she hadnt been held up late in the race. If the track stays good watch out for Puccini's Opera (No1), who finally gets a middle distance to suit.

The apprentice allowances might be the key to Race 9. On his last-start close second to talented Avaroadi, Dead Rabbits (No1) is going to take a lot of money, but his 58kg is a slight concern. Conversely, the likes of Sardonyx (No7), Belle Mia (No6) and Spinning Meteor (No8) have big apprentice claims. Sardonyx gets 3kg off through Daniel Hain and if she manages the conditions, look out. Belle Mia is a course winner and with Corey Parish shaving 4kg off her back she will carry just 53kg, 5kg less than Dead Rabbits.

If the New Plymouth track stays no worse than a good dead then Julinsky Princess (No4, R9) should win the sprint. Forget she went around behind Baldessarini at Ellerslie last start, her sixth was a lot better than it looks on paper and this is nowhere hear as strong. She has lots of talent.