Racing: Splendour could return to best form

Splendour faces a drop in class when she contests the Lincoln Farms Cup at Ruakaka today. Photo / Sarah Ivey

Ruakaka on the grass may seem an unusual place to find one of New Zealand's most valuable pacing mares but there is method in the madness of Todd MacFarlane in taking Splendour there today.

The 4-year-old will start a warm favourite in the $8000 Lincoln Farms Cup at today's annual harness meeting, even though she hasn't run a place in three starts this campaign.

Before that, Splendour was one of our best 3-year-old fillies last season, finishing second to Adore Me in the Harness Jewels and winning the Gold Coast Oaks in Australia.

Add to that the fact that she is a sister to group one winner Maxim and another of Charlie Roberts' all-conquering breed and Splendour doesn't need to win another race to still be worth a fortune.

She returned in serious company this season against Adore Me in her first two starts this campaign so can be forgiven her defeats, even though she was slightly disappointing back in grade last start.

"She did disappoint me then but they still rated 1:55 for 1700m," says MacFarlane.

"And I think the first two runs for the season were a bit hard on her, because while she was working well, taking on Adore Me is like racing in open class."

So MacFarlane is taking Splendour to Ruakaka today not only to restore confidence but to start the qualifying process for the Country Cups Final, which is worth $25,000 later in the season.

"So there are a couple of reasons and she is a good-gaited mare, so the grass shouldn't bother her.

"It is her first standing start but she is well-mannered too, so while she will have to get used to some new things today I think she will be fine."

Splendour also gets a 10m allowance for being a mare so starts off the front today, a luxury for the winner of $137,000 and seven races.

Any mistakes, though, could be punished by Macs Creation, who was beautifully trained to win the Te Awamutu Cup fresh-up on the grass last week and won't need to go much better today.

He has won four of his eight starts on grass, including one at this meeting last year, and is repaying the patience of young trainer Hayley Morgan.

MacFarlane and training partner Craig Sharpe also have a serious winning chance in the amateur drivers' race with Beaming Jay, who drops back in grade after tackling the Te Awamutu Cup last start.

Meanwhile, superstar pacer Christen Me faces another tricky task this Friday at Cambridge as he tries to break a six-race losing streak.

The Inter Dominion favourite has drawn wide on the front line in the $50,000 JLT Futurity over 2700m.

Among those drawn inside him are Fly Like An Eagle, who beat Christen Me home in the New Zealand Cup and has drawn the ace this Friday for new trainer Tony Herlihy.

Besotted, Elios and Franco Nelson are others up against Christen Me in a race he simply has to win to justify his claims at the head of the Inter Dominion market.

While the quality of that race will thrill the Cambridge bosses, so, too, will the rescheduled Waikato Guineas, which didn't get off the ground last Friday.

Not only has it drawn eight starters this Friday but they include three group one winners in Cyclone Prince, Sky Major and Maxim as well as Central Districts pacer Te Kawau.