Racing: Wahid dishes up a Derby warning

The scene: 4.44pm Saturday in the jockey's servery in the Ellerslie grandstand.

No a pie was touched from the warmer - almost as if jockeys were in sympathy with their Sydney counterparts, for whom pies are banned.

Trainer Roger James munched on the fish - colleague Allan Sharrock was far too nervous to contemplate food.

This was a massive moment for Sharrock, probably bigger even than the same seconds before Wahid walks into the barriers for the $600,000 Mercedes Derby at Ellerslie on Saturday week.

Saturday's $100,000 Championship Stakes was going to tell the Derby story - would Wahid settle sufficiently over the 2100m to give the complete assurance he would manage the 2400m of the Derby after being the surprise leader in winning the 2000m Waikato Guineas.

Sharrock was off his stool as Wahid went keenly into the first bend in front leaving the home straight for Leith Innes in front of his opposition - keenly, but not reefing fiercely.

"Will they come around? Will they come around [to give Wahid cover]?," Sharrock asked no one in particular.

No, Wahid was running far too freely and the message was quickly apparent that he was probably going to have to do the same thing and lead in the Derby, something Sharrock is not terrified of, but would prefer to avoid.

Sharrock probably thought he might never eat again as the main danger, Black Panther, and the filly Twinkling dashed at Wahid at the 220m and looked certain to run past.

But as he had done in the Waikato Guineas, Wahid held soundly and was clearly holding the other pair in the final three or four strides.

Once again the final few strides was just about the best part of his race.

A wonderful Derby trial, but the door of doubt was left slightly ajar over whether Wahid could do the same thing over 2400m against the likes of Congrats, Abbey Drive and Gallion's Reach, all missing on Saturday.

Congrats' trainer Roger James finished the fish, shook Sharrock's hand and walked out of the servery.

Sharrock screwed his racebook in his hands and with the stress clearly yet to disperse said: "In my heart of hearts I know I have one more turn [of improvement] in this horse before the Derby."

Innes broke the tension.

"It might have looked tight in the home straight, but he was waiting for them.

"He cocked one ear and as soon as he heard them coming he picked it up again. Just after the winning post the others drew alongside and he charged."

Wahid was a credit to Sharrock on Saturday - he looked bright and extremely healthy and gave the impression this race and subsequent work will have him screwed down that fraction more for the testing 2400m of the Derby.

Roger James has yet to finally decide, but the chances are Congrats will attack the Derby on a four-race career and without having raced beyond 1600m.

James said yesterday he was contemplating giving Congrats a gallop at the Breakfast With The Stars at Ellerslie tomorrow week.

"There is still this coming weekend, but I don't know that I want to run him again."

Congrats will be James' only runner in the Derby, a race he has won three times.

Co-trainer Royce Dowling has had a long-term plan to run Twinkling in the Derby rather than the upcoming Oaks at Trentham.

The Derby is worth $600,000 and the Oaks is $300,000.

Dowling liked what he saw on Saturday and it didn't surprise him.

"She was travelling sweetly at Te Rapa at her previous start and she got carved up on the outside and carved up on the inside and it put her out of the race.

"I'm not frightened of anything in the Derby - she'll hold her own and if we get any rain leading up to the race it'll suit her perfectly."

Roman Chariot followed up his fifth in the Waikato Guineas with a good fourth this time, only 1.5 lengths from the winner. He was followed in by Chettak, who tracked the leader.

Trainer Lance O'Sullivan has some sleepless nights ahead of him worrying about the Derby prospects of Charliehorse.

As he has done a couple of times at Ellerslie, Charliehorse ran towards the outside running rail in the home straight and did well to be only three lengths from the winner.

He will not be able to do the same thing and win a Derby.

$100,000 STAKES

* Wahid raced keenly and had to lead in his final $600,000 Derby lead-up.

* Rider Leith Innes said the narrow win was achieved a bit easier than it appeared.

* Wahid won by a short neck and a long head from Black Panther and Twinkling, both of whom ran sound races.