Racing: TAB bookies wary of latest Aussie hope

Trainer Shaune Ritchie (right) takes top mare Keep The Peace for a stroll, while spending some quality time with wife Alison and daughter Delta. Photo / Christine Cornege.

TAB bookies in Wellington have the names Redoute's Dancer, Gold Trail and Starcraft carved into the wall of their office.

They admit they need constant reminding of the dangers Australian raiders pose to the coffers of TAB bookies.

"We don't have good memories of those horses," said TAB bookie Thad Taylor yesterday as he rolled in the price of Sydney-trained Illuminates from $14 to $10 for Saturday's $250,000 Mudgway Stakes at Hastings.

And that was from an opening quote of $21 before Illuminates won last weekend's A$100,000 Toy Show Handicap at Warwick Farm under the horrendous steadier of 60kg.

Taylor admits there is a collective shudder when his team remembers Redoute's Dancer (2007 Derby at Ellerslie), A Gold Trail (2010 Railway) and Starcraft, winner of the 2004 runnings of the Mudgway and Stone Bridge Stakes at Hastings.

All three horses landed massive punts.

"We've learned to always respect the Australians as quality.

"Sometimes you look at their Australian form and think they won't measure up, but they always seem to when they come here.

"When they're well backed they usually win."

Illuminates trainer Graeme Rogerson was yesterday tipping a single-figure quote on the mare and was happy when the $10 quote was posted, even with her wide barrier draw of 17.

"She'll love the track being rain-affected."

The previously Australian-trained Miss Maren is being prepared at Matamata by Ken and Bev Kelso specifically for the Spring Classic.

She finished third to Vosne Romanee and Ginga Dude in last year's $1.2 million Kelt Capital Stakes (forerunner to the Spring Classic), beaten only a bit more than one length, and hasn't started since running in the 2000m Easter Cup at Caulfield last autumn.

"She's quite sharp and I believe she'll run a cheeky race if the track is not too bad, but whether she's sharp enough to win it is a question," said Ken Kelso.

TAB bookies are prepared to run a risk with Miss Maren at $18.

Keep The Peace is the Mudgway drifter with the bookies, from $6 in futures to $8 on Final Field.

"She's drawn the No 1 alley and we believe that draw won't suit her," said Taylor.

Trainer Shaune Ritchie has an open mind on it.

"I'd be more unhappy if she drew No 16.

"Normally if you've drawn one and end up behind Mufhasa you'd be doing handstands.

"The problem we could have is if the fence is 'off' by the time of the Mudgway.

"If they're not racing well on the fence before the big race then we'll have to take our chances."

The Hastings surface, rated into the high end of slow early yesterday, may not be quite as bad as suspected early in the week.

Today will tell a big story - the original weather forecast was for rain and yesterday that changed to the possibility or rain.

Significant rain would make a very slow track almost a certainty.

Generally, Hastings dries more quickly than most tracks, but locals say the water table is so high it is unlikely this time.

Taylor said that despite the fact his office has eased Keep The Peace, the Cambridge mare and Pennacchio remain the two best backed runners.

"The money for both has been very steady, not massive single punts, but lots and lots of $100 and $200 bets.

"They are our worst results in the race."

Wall Street replaced Mufhasa as favourite when betting switched to Final Field because track conditions will suit him better.

* Market: $4.50 Wall Street, $6 Mufhasa, $8 Pennacchio, Keep The Peace; $10 Illuminates, $12 The Hombre, $14 Vonusti, Run Like Al; $16 Bulginbaah, Fritzy Boy; $18 Miss Maren, $31 Hold It Harvey, Vosne Romanee, Beautiful Girl; $41 Eileen Dubh, $51 Jacowils, Lamington Vegas, My Astron.