Racing: When best horse is not trainer's best chance

Michelle Wallis expects her second best horse to beat her best one at Alexandra Park tonight.

Wallis trains half the field in tonight's Bettors Delight Handicap and her key focus will be on Waitfornoone, who is taking her first steps toward the New Zealand Cup.

But Wallis admits that while Waitfornoone needs winning form to get into the cup she doesn't expect it to come tonight because of the mare's 30m handicap over 2200m.

"I didn't really want to start her off that sort of mark over 2200m but she needs racing," she explains.

"If it was 2700m she would have a winning chance but over 2200m she will be playing catch up most of the race."

With that in mind Wallis asked Waitfornoone's regular driver, Peter Ferguson, to partner stablemate In The Mist tonight.

"I'll drive Waitfornoone and, while we are out there to win, I don't want her to have a hard run.

"It is not that she isn't ready because I was very happy with her second to Baileys Dream at the workouts last week and she has worked really well since. But a 30m handicap is a long way over 2200m, whereas In The Mist is ready for a good 2200m after all the racing she has done and I think she can win.

"If she steps to the lead, which is what I am hoping for, then she will be very hard to beat."

In The Mist cost punters plenty when she lost a speed duel with Metekhi in the first lap of her race last Friday but only bad manners should stop her leading tonight, which is a major part of that battle over 2200m.

Her greatest rival for that pacemaking role should be Supreme Edition, who although yet to win in five attempts from a standing start can make a flyer from behind the tapes.

Like In The Mist he is a natural front runner and if the latter is even a stride slow at the start the complexion of their clash could change markedly.

While that pair could provide the early fireworks the pacer who deserves to be favourite is none of the above, but the in-form Badlands Bute.

The dual Derby winner has raced right up to his best form in his last two starts, including a fine third to Baileys Dream in the Spring Cup last Friday. That was after missing away and not being suited by the sit-sprint tactics and a win tonight would go some way to getting him a New Zealand Cup start.

His biggest worry was that he missed away from the standing start last Friday, although that was when off the front line. Tonight he will be one of only two pacers off the 30m backmark so should have more room to move and therefore is a better chance of making a smooth beginning.

If he does that all he needs is a suitable cart into the race, which may not be that easily found, and he can finish over the top.

While tonight's feature race looms large for Wallis she warns punters to keep a Pick6 dollar for her stable representative Zine Zidane in the last.

"He was knocked over last week and isn't going to meet many easier fields than this at Alexandra Park so he has to be a chance."