Racing: Trainer Tony Pike torn over Sherwood Forest dilemma

Sherwood Forest presents a dilemma today. Photo / Trish Dunell

Trainer Tony Pike is torn between starting former NZ Derby winner Sherwood Forest in a race he is adamant he can't win at Te Rapa today, or waiting a week to start him in a different race he can't win next week at Ruakaka.

Welcome to the life of a trainer of top staying horses at the back end of a New Zealand winter.

Sherwood Forest (R6, No 2) is entered for the open mile at Te Rapa and after a stunning trial win at Cambridge last week the race looks ideal, especially with Beauden as the natural topweight so Sherwood Forest is only 57kg.

But the not so perfect part is the Soft 9 Te Rapa is rated, which could become worse.

"We will wait till Saturday morning to make the final call on starting because the weather has been so wet," says Pike. "I really want to start him, to get a race in his right distant range under his belt before we head to Melbourne next month.

"But if it gets simply too heavy we may pull the pin and head to the 1400m at Ruakaka next week which will be too short for him."

Pike says even if Sherwood Forest does start, punters should not factor him into their win bets.

"I'd love to see him win, and sure horses can surprise you, but for horses like him coming back to racing they are going to settle back, pull to the best part of the track and run home as well as they can.

"So you couldn't back him even though he is going as good as he can this early in the campaign."

Regardless of where he goes in the next week, Sherwood Forest will be aimed at a 1700m handicap at Flemington on September 11 before Pike lets the now five-year-old tell him whether he is a serious Melbourne Cup contender.

"We didn't even nominate him for the Caulfield Cup but he is in the Melbourne Cup at this stage and his lead-up form will suggest to us whether he deserves a shot at it," says Pike.

"There are so many good lead-up races for big money, races like the Moonee Valley Cup and Geelong Cup away from the hottest races that he can aim at those.

"But this spring in Melbourne could be the weakest it has been for a while with fewer Europeans so it is the place to be for him."

Beauden finds himself in the same position as Sherwood Forest, should they both start today, needing a run on a track heavier than ideal as he, too, has Melbourne spring racing aspirations.

But with 62.5kg, and no claim with Ryan Elliot aboard, he will be giving impressive last-start winner Crystallize 10kg and even a horse with Beauden's proven record carrying huge weights will struggle to win.

Crystallize's combination of his light weight, race-fitness advantage, wet-track form and liking for Te Rapa makes him the horse to beat.

Pike thinks Marchioness, who races in the same ownership and resumes in the first race, is his best bet of the day.

Not only did she nose out new stablemate Catalyst in a 1200m trial last week but for a one-win horse she ran into plenty of quality as a three-year-old last season.

In just four starts she posted seconds to Rocket Spade and to stakes winner Joy Alone while her maiden victory came over Hezashocka, who two starts later won the Group 2 Championship Stakes at Ellerslie.

"The way she is working she will be very hard to beat."

As for Catalyst, he could trial next week and the Tarzino Trophy at Hastings on September 11 is looking his most likely kick-off race.