Racing: Top jockey can't wait for filly to make Railway

Lisa Cropp last night jumped off Clean Sweep to ride Australian sprinter Not A Single Doubt in the $200,000 Railway Handicap.

The Melbourne-trained Not A Single Doubt was punted heavily yesterday on both sides of the Tasman to bring him in to $4 Railway favourite.

Managing owner John Messara said the decision to bring Not A Single Doubt to Auckland was made on Tuesday night after an impressive trial on Tuesday morning.

Cropp had been engaged to ride Clean Sweep in New Zealand's premier sprint on January 1 and rode her in an impressive trial during Tuesday morning's Breakfast With The Stars.

But Clean Sweep is on the minimum weight and 22nd equal in line for a start. She is in danger of missing the final field unless the Auckland Racing Club uses discretionary powers to invite her into the field ahead of a more qualified horse.

"This is a group one race and I can't be sitting on the fence," said Cropp. "The Australians have been keen for me to ride Not A Single Doubt."

The ARC reserves the right to select the field for any of its races, but is making no statement on the Clean Sweep case at this point.

You could understand the filly's connections being upset if their last-start group one winner missed a start because of insufficient weight.

ARC racing manager Butch Castles said the lead-up Newmarket Handicap on Sunday would make the Railway position a lot clearer.

"I've said to Clean Sweep's connections that the Newmarket is the defining race.

"There is a chance that a couple of the Newmarket runners might go poorly and their connections will pull them out of the Railway.

"Equally, of course, the first two home in the Newmarket are exempt from the Railway ballot and there is a slight chance of two from behind Clean Sweep leapfrogging her.

"Yes, the club reserves the right to select the field, but you must choose to use that very carefully.

"The club could come out and say yes, Clean Sweep will be invited to run, but why would you do that before you absolutely had to."

Castles is trying to get Clean Sweep get one point closer to a Railway start by recently questioning the need of restricting the Railway field to the traditional 14 runners.

"We ran 14 in the 1200m sprint here the other day with the rail out 13 metres, so I could see no sense in not being able to make that 15 on a much wider track with the rail back in the true position for the Railway.

"I asked is that common sense or simply the way it's always been done."

Castles questioned a number of jockeys, who he says were okay with the increased size. Stipendiary steward Alan Coles spoke to jockeys at yesterday's Avondale races and a decision will be made after Sunday's racing whether the field will be increased in size by one.

Not A Single Doubt has not raced since finishing out of the money for the first time in his short career in March, when he was fourth of seven runners behind class act Charge Forward.

The only other time he was beaten was when running second to outstanding juvenile Dance Hero in January in the Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast on January 10.

John Messara, the principal of Arrowfield Stud, was a shareholder and the colt was trained at that point by Graeme Rogerson.

Arrowfield Stud clearly sees Not A Single Doubt as a potential stallion prospect.

"Essentially we wanted him to be prepared for the sprints in Melbourne during the autumn and wanted him switched to a Melbourne stable," said Messara.

"So we bought out Graeme and a couple of his clients and moved the horse to Tony Vasil's Melbourne stable."

Not A Single Doubt won his first three races as a 2-year-old before being beaten by Dance Hero and raced fresh when fourth to Charge Forward.

"He's been training very well and the trainer believes if he arrives in Auckland on Boxing Day in good condition he'll be very competitive on New Year's Day," said Messara.

"This is a prestigious race and one we would clearly love him to win. It's group one and that sits very well with us and the horse's future."

The New Zealand TAB originally had Not A Single Doubt at $14 and the weight of money for him has tightened him into favouritism.

Vasil is bringing stayer Bondy for the $350,000 New Zealand Herald Auckland Cup.

Bondy's form is not quite as impressive as Not A Single Doubt's, even though he has won two of his last three starts.

On December 11 he was second over 3000m at Moonee Valley to former New Zealand stayer Intriguing. That and his two wins were not in the same class as the Auckland Cup form, but one Australian punter thinks he has a chance.

"Yesterday someone in Australia took a $1500 Bondy - Not A Single Doubt double to win $240,000," said TAB bookie Paul Lally.

$200,000 Railway

Lisa Cropp is off group one winner Clean Sweep and on Australian sprinter Not A Single Doubt, who has been backed in to favouritism.

The Auckland Racing Club is making no statement on whether Clean Sweep will be invited to run.

She is 22nd in order of entry and will almost certainly miss a start if not invited into the field.