Racing: Weight worry for British Ensign

British Ensign may have won like a group one winner on the second day of the summer carnival at Ellerslie.

But his Matamata co-trainer Graham Richardson is still stumped by the black type weight the horse has got in the Rich Hill Mile today.

Richardson says British Ensign, the winner of six races in Australia, has never performed in the best company on either side of the Tasman.

Yet he's been lumped with 56.5kg, the same handicap as hot-pot Calveen and half a kilogram above dual group one winner Maroofity.

"I know the minimum is 53kg but he's never been in the first three in a black type race," said Richardson.

"He seems to have been weighted on the money he's won, but it's not my fault they don't race for any money in New Zealand.

"His biggest race win in Australia was the equivalent of a PQ race."

Handicapper Dean Nowell defended his assessement of British Ensign, the mount of Auckland Cup winning jockey Mark du Plessis.

"British Ensign has run in far stronger fields and the way he won the other day he deserves everything he's got," said Nowell.

"He's got as much show of winning as anything and is weighted accordingly."

As for being above Maroofity in the handicap, Nowell said he doesn't rate that horse's Sires Produce Stakes double two years ago as high as some.

"I'm not doubting that Maroofity has class but those two-year-old wins aren't penalised in the same sense as group wins at three and four.

Under the rules of racing, Nowell said he has to give something 57kg and because the overall field isn't as strong as in some years, he was forced to drag the minimum up to compensate.

"The real stars are missing," he said. "In previous years a horse like Just Aqua would have got 53.5, rather than 57kg."

Calveen should win, even with the 2kg more than she has carried to impressive victories in slick times against the fillies and mares.

Rider Leith Innes still had plenty of gas left in both races.

But you got the feeling watching British Ensign win last Tuesday that he has the ability to push her close.

Du Plessis never let the six-year-old into top gear and the extra 200m he faces today is ideal.

Richardson said he needs at least 1600m to show his best, as long as that's not on a left-hand track.

The plan was to race him right handed here a few times, then take him to Sydney.

Richardson rates Calveen as the horse to beat today.

Jockey hurt

Jumps jockey Creina Heaton was last night in intensive care at Auckland Hospital after a fall at Ellerslie on Saturday.

A hospital spokesman said Heaton's condition was stable and improving.

Heaton's mount clipped a fence with about 1400m to run in a hurdle race at Ellerslie and the jockey was thrown heavily. It appeared she was trampled by following runners.

- NZPA