Racing: Wahid fine with 'catch me'

Allan Sharrock has no reason to be defensive with Wahid, but he is.

The Taranaki trainer is very much taking to heart the comments about his class 3-year-old.

Under the pressure of being responsible for the $600,000 Mercedes Derby favourite, Sharrock is sensitive to the assessment of Wahid winning the Waikato Guineas last start and as he heads into tomorrow's $100,000 Championship Stakes at Ellerslie.

"They say he's a sit and sprint horse and I don't believe that's right," said Sharrock yesterday.

"I felt he went at a good clip in front at Te Rapa and it was simply a case of the others not being good enough to go up and have a crack at him."

Michael Coleman had not planned to lead on Wahid in the Waikato Guineas, but landed the job by default when nothing else was prepared to make the pace.

The class 3-year-old handled the job brilliantly and was going very strongly under Coleman in the closing stages.

That taught Sharrock two things - that he is happy for his horse to lead if nothing else wants to and that he will be very hard to beat in tomorrow's race.

"Apart from Black Panther, Wahid beat the rest of them at Te Rapa.

"The horses I believe he has to beat in the Derby are not there this time. The ones I'm most frightened of are Richard Yuill's other pair (Abbey Drive and Gallion's Reach) and Congrats."

Sharrock says he has never had a horse thrive like Wahid leading up to a major race.

"He's literally eaten every grain of every feed and taken everything I've given him.

"And, I know in my heart of hearts there is still a turn in him for the Derby. I'm not saying he's vulnerable this time, but I know he will peak on March 4."

With the 2400m of the Derby in the back of his mind, Sharrock does not want to see Wahid in front this time.

"But if they want to bugger around, he'll lead and I'll be happy for him to be there."

Coleman filled in for the Te Rapa race last time and regular jockey Leith Innes is back from suspension.

"One more race and one more bit of pressure," is how the trainer sums up the race.

"It's like football - there is new opposition every week."

This race is likely to be more competitive than it looks on paper.

Apart from the obvious dangers in Charliehorse and Black Panther you have the likes of Guineas winner Sculptor and Congaline, both of whom flopped in the Waikato Guineas behind Wahid.

They are both capable of winning at Ellerslie tomorrow with peak performances.

Charliehorse has been unlucky to draw gate No 19 after coming out of the extreme outside barrier in the Waikato Guineas.

He has been learning with each start after looking very green in the early summer and can be right in this finish if he flukes a favourable passage.

"I'm very pleased with him," said trainer Lance O'Sullivan.

"He's very fit, we haven't had to do anything serious with him since he last raced."