Racing: Wide draw against favourite

Ralph Manning's remarkable pragmatism was put to the ultimate test yesterday when Seachange drew barrier No 14 in Saturday's $1 million Kelt Capital Stakes.

It just managed to hold tight.

The draw is the worst possible for the Kelt favourite, whose only blindspot is the question of whether she will successfully manage the 2040m of New Zealand's richest horse race.

That question centres around her ability to settle kindly through the first half of the race and the horror barrier draw creates real doubt.

The TAB reacted immediately to blow out Seachange's quote of $2.50 yesterday morning to $3.25.

Had Seachange drawn around No 4 or 5, Gavin McKeon could have used the mare's natural gate speed to be wherever he wanted, probably buried on the rail behind the speed.

From wide, McKeon will have to use Seachange in the first 150m to prevent being caught wide into the first bend.

He will almost certainly not be able to slot into the perfect position and, worse, the possibility exists that the mare will not drop the bit and come back to her rider.

"Well, we've got it and we'll have to deal with it," Manning said with resignation yesterday.

"There's no point in worrying about it, it won't change it."

Part of Manning's acceptance comes from the fact that apart from the Mudgway Stakes at Hastings two starts ago, Seachange has drawn wide in each start of her glittering career.

Making the task even harder is that one of the main dangers, Wahid, has drawn perfectly for him at No 4 and Pentane at No 10 is probably better off a touch wide than drawn No 1 or No 2.

The only bright spot is that Kristov came away with gate No 12.

"Kristov is going to lead and there is the possibility that he might drag her across," said Manning.

"Then the worry is that she drops the bit."

Manning is otherwise delighted that Seachange has progressed exactly the way he'd hoped since winning the Mudgway and Stoney Bridge Stakes.

Seachange's drift to $3.25 is totally because of the barrier draw and the slight easing in the market of a number of others is because the Australians Aqua D'Amore and Sphenophyta are not included in the field.

"We strongly suspected they wouldn't be coming, but we had to be careful," said head bookie for the TAB Paul Lally.

Lally pushed Wahid out from $5 late on Tuesday to $6.50.

"Part of it was because he's actually a good result for us and we had him to lay and the other factor is the rain that's forecast.

"Rain won't suit Wahid."

Hastings had 4mm of rain on Tuesday night, pushing the track from 2.9 to 3.1 and when the Herald spoke to racing manager John McGifford yesterday there had been no sign of the forecast rain.

"All we've got is freezing temperatures."

Lally said the money keeps coming for Pentane ($5) and Zarius at $7.

He cannot understand the sustained support for Shamrock Star.

"I think he's way too short at $16, but we've had to bring him in because of the amount of money we're holding for him.

"I don't know who's backing him."