KEY POINTS:
Figure Of Speech has a 3-0 record over fellow Cambridge stayer Jovial Jock lately but trainer Ross McCarroll has no confidence he can make it four in tomorrow's $65,000 Taumarunui Gold Cup at Te Rapa.
"I think he's badly off in the weights against one or two of
them," said McCarroll.
McCarroll is concerned about the prospect of a heavy track when he assumed the Te Rapa surface may have improved into slow with better weather and mild temperatures.
The track rating yesterday was 5.0 and club officials did not expect significant improvement.
"I believe Figure Of Speech's best footing is the better side of slow.
"He can handle it heavy, but I'm not sure how he'll manage the 57kg on a 5.0 surface.
"I thought there were probably only five chances in the race, but on a heavy track it's opened the race up a bit, horses like Melanion and Van Winkle have probably come in as chances."
Jovial Jock could finish only fourth at Ruakaka last start where Figure Of Speech finished second to Cape Kinaveral - but he ruined his chances by hanging badly.
He was on one rein almost all the way for David Walsh, who said if Lisa Cropp had not come up on his outside on Cape Kinaveral approaching the home turn Jovial Jock almost certainly would have run right off the track.
Co-trainer Darrel Lang has had work done on Jovial Jock and believes there will be no hanging problems this time.
There is one certainty in this race - if Van Winkle wins the crowd will pull the grandstand down.
When the old bloke walks into the stalls at Te Rapa tomorrow he will be three days off his official 11th birthday and his participation must create a modern day record of sorts.
This will be Van Winkle's seventh consecutive attempt on the Taumarunui Gold Cup.
His record:
* 1st 2001
* 1st 2002
* 2nd 2003
* 5th 2004
* 3rd 2005
* 7th 2006
Add to that Van Winkle's jumping record on the track - he won this year's Waikato Hurdles - and he is one of the true course specialists of recent times.
Miles came back to something like his best form when he won at Trentham last start.
It wasn't about what he beat - the field was considerably softer than this line-up - but the way he did it.
Miles dictated as he likes to do and had them all off the bit approaching the home turn.
The heavy track will again suit Miles.
Cape Kinaveral has come to form at the right time for this race.
There was plenty to like about the way he kept going strongly to win at Ruakaka after looping the field mid-race.
Western Line's form has been mixed, but he is capable of testing most of these with one of his better efforts.
Taumarunui Gold Cup, $65,000, opn hcp, 2100m (run at Te Rapa tomorrow):
$4.80 Figure Of Speech; $5 Miles; $6 Cape Kinaveral; $8 Jovial Jock; $9 Bringbackthebiff; $10 Dead Rabbits; $14 Klassic Singer, Melanion; $16 Van Winkle, Western Line; $26 Garden Party, Bling Bling; $31 Hoorang.
Gold Cup
* Trainer Ross McCarroll is concerned about in-form Figure Of Speech handling a heavy Te Rapa track with 57kg.
* Figure Of Speech has beaten fellow Cambridge stayer Jovial Jock three straight lately, but Jovial Jock gets a weight advantage this time.
* Van Winkle will be attacking the race for a remarkable seventh time.