"He's got much stronger than he was last preparation. He will go over more ground than these sprints, but not just yet. I think he's underrated, but then I'm biased."
As expected the Logan/Gibbs stable has massive representation. We will fully preview the Logan/Gibbs team in tomorrow's Weekend Herald.
A trainer with almost certainly the best Ruakaka strike rate is Matamata's Peter McKay. The talented horseman fancies the chances of Valante in Race 6. "He's been giving the impression he's been looking for a middle distance. He finished a good second at both Te Rapa and at Ellerslie over 1600m and I believe the 2100m this time will suit him better.
"He's won three at Ruakaka, so he's going to be well suited by everything."
Probably the bet of the day is smart emerging sprinter Lewis Caroll in Race 3. He is all class and has been freshened since winning at Te Rapa in early April, taking his record to a smart five wins from eight starts.
He comes into this open handicap with just 54.5kg and Sam Weatherley will take a further 1kg off that. Topweight Amarula is similarly classy, but having to lump 60kg topweight will probably be a bridge too far against Lewis Caroll.
Peter McKay can't see Amarula threatening the favourite. "At level weights it would be a different story, but 6.5kg is almost too tough. I'll be happy if he gets close to Lewis Caroll."
McKay also has last start winner De Niro engaged in Race 7 facing Spider. "He had 10 days off after winning at Hastings and being fresh perhaps 1200m might suit him perfectly, but he will give a good account of himself."
The two topweights Lucky's Revenge and Barcelo represent McKay in Race 8. "If Lucky's Revenge can get a nice drag along she will be hard to beat and Barcelo goes well when he's fresh."
Multiple winner Sultan Of Swing will have his first start for a new trainer this weekend.
The New Zealand-bred son of Bachelor Duke will step out for Craig Ritchie, the Warwick Farm-based brother of Shaune Ritchie who had care of the four-year-old up to his last performance, a fast-finishing second earlier this month.
Sultan Of Swing will debut from his new quarters in the Kensei Handicap over 2000 metres at Rosehill tomorrow. James Innes has been booked for the ride.
Darren Weir has become the first trainer to prepare 400 winners in a season in Australia, bringing up the history-making milestone on his home track at Ballarat.
Seven-year-old Ancient King scored as the odds-on favourite in a hurdle race yesterday, the gelding's third-consecutive win over jumps.
Last season Weir passed John Hawkes' previous record of 334 wins when he finished on 348.
This season's tally includes eight group one wins and a record 120 Victorian metropolitan winners with six weeks remaining.
Ruakaka fancies
• Weight special: Lewis Caroll, R3, Ruakaka. Would just about win this at level weights and gets some huge weight concessions.
• Each way at value: Toorak Tower, R4, Ruakaka. Won his only race on his home track here. Resuming here and always looked likely to improve with age.
• Distance change: Valante, R6, Ruakaka. Racing well at 1600m and the key here is probably going to 2100m. Each way looks great.
- Additional reporting NZ Racing Desk, AAP
