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Racing: Wet Ellerslie won't aid Kawi clash

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8 Mar, 2017 04:00 PM5 mins to read

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Kawi beats Start Wondering in the Haunui Farm Classic last month at Otaki. Photo / Race Images

Trainer Allan Sharrock is not relishing the prospect of a wet track at Ellerslie on Saturday but his stable star Kawi is likely to run.

Kawi will be seeking the seventh group one win of his career in the $200,000 Bonecrusher Stakes.

His clash with defending champion Volkstok'n'barrell was shaping

Kawi has a sound record on slow tracks but has not been tried in heavy ground. He has had a win and two placings from four starts on slow tracks and was second across the line, before being relegated to fifth, in his unplaced effort.

The track was rated as slow 7 when he won the Makfi Stakes (1400m) at Hastings last spring and he was almost in line with the winner when third, on a slow 8 track at Ellerslie, in the 2015 Easter Handicap (1600m).

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"He should have won the Easter," Sharrock said yesterday. "He was back and wide and then came through in the worst of the ground in the straight.

"I'm not that happy about starting him on a wet track but that run in the Easter is at the back of my mind and maybe he will cope better than most. I don't think many in the field would be looking for a wet track."

The Ellerslie track was rated as a dead 6 yesterday after 72mm of rain in the previous 24 hours, with more rain forecast over the next three days.

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"A heavy track would put me in a bit of a quandary," Sharrock said. "But what else is there for him?

"It's still basically a summer track and it won't be as testing as a heavy track at Ellerslie in June and the race won't hurt him. His class gets him a long way and that Savabeel toughness will also help."

Kawi has recorded three group one wins and a fifth from his four New Zealand starts this term. He finished fifth, after missing the start, when resuming in the NRM Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa and then outfinished Start Wondering to win the Haunui Farm Classic (1600m) at Otaki.

couldn't be happier with him," Sharrock said. "I thought he was pretty dominant over the last four strides at Otaki and he has trained on exceptionally well. I think he has improved again."

Kawi, who had three starts in Perth in the spring, is unlikely to race overseas again this term.

Sharrock is not keen to take on the likes of Winx at the Sydney autumn carnival and is leaning towards targeting a spring campaign in Melbourne, rather than take Kawi to Brisbane for the winter carnival.

Kawi opened as a $2.90 favourite for the Bonecrusher Stakes with Sofia Rosa, who has form on slow tracks, at $4.80 and Volkstok'n'barrell at $6.50.

The threat of a wet track has caused a rearrangement of the Auckland Cup market, which is now headed by Five To Midnight and Megablast at $6.20 and Jacksstar at $6.80. Previous favourite Chenille has been a market drifter and now shares the fourth line with Mister Impatience at $8.50.

A minor setback forced the withdrawal of Australian galloper Lord Van Percy, who might now tackle Monday's Adelaide Cup, and Wellington Cup winner Savaria, who prefers good ground, was also withdrawn yesterday.

Auckland Cup market: $6.20 Five To Midnight, Megablast; $6.80 Jacksstar; $8.50 Mister Impatience, Chenille; $12.50 Fanatic; $14 El Soldado, Perfect Start; $16 Pentathlon, Snow Secret, El Pistola; $20 King Kamada; $28 Nymph Monte; $33 Gentil Tonton; $51 Marciano; $66 Storming The Tower; $71 Smedley.

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