Racing: Sunline scares off rivals but not bookies

By MIKE DILLON

Sunline can frighten the opposition away, but not the weather.

The Sunline camp is delighted not one decent weight-for-age horse has even been nominated to race against the mare in Sunday's $A200,000 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

Quite simply, she has frightened them all away.

And that suits trainers Trevor and Stephen McKee perfectly. The last thing they want building up to the $A2 million Cox Plate is a hard race.

Which is why they are disappointed that the track will be heavy on Sunday.

"The weather here is beautiful but they've had a lot of rain and more is forecast for the weekend," said Stephen McKee from Melbourne yesterday.

"That's not ideal. She can handle it, but it will mean a fair bit tougher run than we would like her to have."

It is inconceivable anything but bad luck could cost Sunline a win against Sunday's opposition.

And that is allowing that Caulfield is often regarded as a champion's graveyard and the fact that Sunline was beaten at her only appearance on the track when Rose Of War downed her in the Armanasco Stakes in February last year.

The best of those nominated for the Memsie is Inaflury who was prevented from running in last week's Liston by an elevated temperature on race morning.

Others with a semblance of class are Umrum, Oliver Twist and Peter Hayes' European import Muhib, who is making his Australian debut.

Hayes was disappointed Muhib was balloted out of the Liston, almost certainly as much because he has not raced for 18 months as for reasons of class.

Sunline galloped at Flemington on Tuesday morning and Stephen McKee intended giving the mare another quieter workout this morning.

He is delighted with her Cox Plate build-up.

"She's the sort that builds herself up with racing and it usually takes a couple of runs to get to that level, but she seems to have done it already this campaign.

"There is a lot of improvement in her yet, but she is definitely further ahead of her game than in previous preparations."

Sunline, named Australian Racehorse of the Year last Friday, will be at unbackable odds on Sunday.

"It's often regarded as a nightmare type of race to offer a market on," said Brian Taylor, manager for Double Bet, "but we'll manage".

The completely different approach by Australian punters compared to their Kiwi counterparts makes it possible to still come up with a sizeable "handle" on a race with a standout favourite like Sunline.

Her realistic price on Saturday is probably $1.10, but in order to make the race enticing to punters, bookmakers will "take her on", giving punters a price they can't resist at $1.30 with the hope that something goes amiss.

New Zealanders would not take odds anything like as short as $1.30.

"The Aussies will take double handfuls and afterwards we'll be looking for the tail of the payout line and wondering why we took her on," said Brian Taylor.

Yesterday morning Sunline saw her Takanini compatriot Showella for the first time in a few weeks when she cantered at the Flemington track, her first work since arriving early on Tuesday.

Showella, the Melbourne Cup favourite, has lightened a fraction with the trip as co-trainer Frank Ritchie expected.

"She's always a bit like this, which is why I tuned her up before we left so I could be easy on her this week to allow her to settle in."

Showella will have her first serious Australian gallop on Saturday morning and will resume racing in the $A250,000 Craiglee Stakes the following Saturday.

Caulfield Cup hopeful Hill Of Grace has had her departure to Australia delayed, but there is nothing wrong with her.

Hill Of Grace and stablemate Sequel were to have been on the Monday night flight to Melbourne, but Sequel got down in the float on the way to last week's Cambridge trials.

"She was a bit sore after that, so I'll delay taking her over," said trainer Robert Priscott.

"Hill Of Grace was going over early as a mate for Sequel. I was always going to be happy to prepare Hill Of Grace in New Zealand for as long as possible before the Caulfield Cup."