Racing: Whiskey Neat - no water thanks

Whiskey Neat distanced his rivals by 10 and a quarter lengths at Otaki on November 30. Photo / Race Images

Whiskey Neat might be on a hiding to nothing at Ellerslie on Wednesday.

But first he has to make it there.

The sensational debut winner will be a hot favourite for the $50,000 SNG Media juvenile event at the famed Boxing Day meeting after one of the more stunning fresh up wins seen in New Zealand thoroughbred racing in recent years.

The speed machine distanced his rivals by 10 and a quarter lengths at Otaki on November 30, the sort of margin that suggests either the opposition were poor or he could be something special.

Considering the horse who finished second to him that day, Cinzento, has subsequently run fourth, beaten only two lengths, at group level at Trentham, then Whiskey Neat probably falls into the immensely talented category until proven otherwise.

Trainer Tony Pike knows the knockers will be hovering waiting for Whiskey Neat to get beaten but he says he is not worried about Wednesday's 1100m dash being the gelding's first start at Ellerslie, a circuit that has tripped up plenty of flying freshmen before.

"We took him there for a gallop last Thursday when they opened the course proper and he handled it beautifully," said Pike.

Whiskey Neat galloped with Pike's second favourite for next week's Railway in Bostonian and handled the sweeping entry into the home straight beautifully.

"The cones were out a long way and he galloped on the inside of Bostonian but he was a real pro," confirms Pike.

"He was on the right leg the whole way so I am not worried about the track at all and he has real class.

"I know there will be plenty ready to knock him if he doesn't win but he needs a race here before the Karaka Million so getting that experience is the main objective. If we get there."

That "if" is because of the Auckland weather, which is supposed to see plenty of rain between now and tomorrow night before clearing up for the huge Boxing Day meeting.

Pike won't be the only trainer on the weather watch but he also won't hesitate to scratch Whiskey Neat if the track looks like coming up worse than a Dead 6 because he has the option of going to the Eclipse Stakes on New Year's Day. "That is the back-up plan," he admits.

"He is such a good-actioned horse I wouldn't want to start him on a really wet track and undo him.

"So like a few of mine I will wait to see how the track comes up before I confirm a start.

"That might be the case with Indecision too in the open sprint where she has 60kgs and a wide draw."

No matter how even Wednesday's fields are they will be easier to predict than Auckland's weather or in fact the MetService's ability to get it right, with plenty of northern race meetings recently apparently set to be deluged but that rain never coming.

So while the TAB is doing a better job at getting their odds out early punters would be smarter waiting to race morning to see what rating the track actually comes up as, who is starting and what the relevant final field deductions would be.

One race that doesn't look set to be too badly affected by any rain will be the $200,000 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic. All of the group one winners in the race headlined by Danzdanzdance, Jon Snow and Lizzie L'Amour have won on at least soft tracks and will still be starting as will defending champion Authentic Paddy but if the rain does come just how wet it gets will affect the market.

But with Ellerslie's new drainage system seemingly paying its way it wouldn't stun to see a Dead 5-6 track for Wednesday, so don't be surprised if Whiskey Neat and most of the other favoured runners end up starting.