KEY POINTS:
Freakish filly Crossyourheart is still two wins away from a shot at writing her name in the history books.
Pukekohe co-trainer Richard Collett said yesterday his breathtaking New Zealand Bloodstock Classique winner can still earn her Golden Slipper ticket.
But she must win her next two assignments, the
group two $120,000 Matamata Breeders' Stakes (1200m) on February 24, and then the group one $175,000 Ford Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on March 10.
"Under the conditions of the Slipper the Classique doesn't count toward qualification," said Collett.
"She'd have to win her next two here to be any chance of making the field, and I'd expect her to be able to do that to go."
No Kiwi-trained horse has ever won the A$3.5 million ($4 million) Slipper in Sydney, the world's richest 2-year-race.
And if the unbeaten Crossyourheart is the horse to break the drought, then it won't come cheap for owner Gerald Shand either.
After missing an early payment, the Huntly bakery boss is now facing a A$150,000 late entry fee to get New Zealand's fastest 2-year-old in the Rosehill field on March 31.
But if you ask rival trainer John Wheeler, who saddled highly rated Classique runner-up The Pooka, that's money well spent.
"If she was my horse I'd be taking her to Sydney," said Wheeler, who had Slipper hopes himself for The Pooka before Saturday's defeat. "I know what a good horse my bloke is, but she kicked his brains in."
Despite the ridiculous ease of Crossyourheart's Te Rapa win on Saturday, Collett isn't tempted to cross the Tasman any earlier to take on the Aussies and guarantee qualification.
He says the money on offer in her next two Kiwi assignments is comparable to Aussie equivalents, and the timing of the New Zealand races is perfect leading into the Slipper.
The rest, he's just happy to take the gamble on with the Show A Heart speedster Shand paid $210,000 for at Karaka last summer.
Shand has until March 26 to write the late-entry cheque, which is fully refundable if his filly misses the final Slipper field.
And even if she runs, and runs below par, he can still recoup a large chunk of that with the Sydney Turf Club paying a guaranteed A$50,000 for runners placed sixth to 10th.
If she keeps on improving like she has though, only bad luck it seems could stop Crossyourheart collecting at least a six-figure Slipper prize.
Her Classique win was the fastest, and easiest in the history of the race.
And the really scary thing is, rider Leith Innes never had her in top gear in scoring by four-and-a-half lengths.
Collett knew pretty much from the jump on Saturday that months of planning were less than 70 seconds away from a career-high payday.
Expecting pressure from out wide early on, he'd told Innes not to try for the lead at all costs from the jump.
After her win from a trail at Ellerslie in her previous start, Collett knew she could stalk and sprint.
But when Crossyourheart found the lead so easily, then came back underneath Innes down the back stretch, Collett's confidence soared as he watched the race unfold next to Shand in the stand.
Innes was later fined $1500 for an over-zealous whip flourish inside the last 50m, but he had the money to spare.
During a mid-week round of golf with Innes, Shand agreed to double his riding fee to more than $26,000 if he pulled off the Classique.
While Crossyourheart found the lead effortlessly for Innes, runner-up The Pooka was using up valuable steam from his double-digit gate, at one point trapped four wide.
Rider Mark Du Plessis eventually found Crossyourheart's flank near the 600m, but he had the stick out a few seconds later in a hopeless chase.
"At the end of the day, she had the pace and he just doesn't have that same blinding speed," said Wheeler, who now plans to set The Pooka for next spring's Kelt Capital Stakes.
Seppelt finished strongly for third after receiving a decent check on the corner, while Grand Dancer also looked like a horse to follow after his fourth.
* Gutsy veteran Desert Flight earned an overdue chance at group race glory with his win in the SkyCity Hamilton Cup. Collett plans to run the 8-year-old in the group one Whakanui Stud International (2000m) on the same course next Saturday, the horse's first try against the weight-for-age elite.