The huge question hovering over Well Written if she wins NZB Kiwi

Well Written has taken all before her, and her coronation looms at Ellerslie today. Photo / Ajay Berry

CHAMPIONS DAY

What: New Zealand’s richest raceday with stakes of $8,550,000.

Where: Ellerslie, Auckland.

When: Today

Who: Many of our best gallopers, headlined by unbeaten filly Well Written, taking on a smattering of Australians.

Highlights: $4m NZB Kiwi, $1.25m HKJC World Pool NZ Derby, $1m Bonecrusher NZ Stakes, $600,000 Trackside Auckland Cup, $600,000 Al Basta Equiworld Dubai Classic, $550,000 Sistema Stakes, $250,000 Haunui Farm Kings Plate.

Social scene: Ned Prix De Fashion, Birdcage Bash after the last race, free activities for children between races.

Can I go? Yes, but only general admission tickets are left. Best to buy online, as the track could reach capacity.

More info: www.ellerslie.co.nz

Punt: www.tab.co.nz or www.betcha.co.nz

When it comes to the poster girl of New Zealand racing, the most important question isn’t the most obvious one.

So let’s get the obvious out of the way: Will unbeaten filly Well Written win today’s $4 million NZB Kiwi at Ellerslie?

Almost certainly yes.

The three-year-old chestnut flash thrashed many of those she meets today by six lengths in the $1.5m Karaka Million just six weeks ago, and while a few new foes have been lured by today’s record stake, they just don’t look fast enough to beat her.

Physical gifts aside, Well Written has the barrier draw, attitude and track stats, a trainer entering his prime in Stephen Marsh, and jockey Matt Cartwright has yet to pull a wrong rein on her.

She should be crowned the new perfect princess of New Zealand racing today and assure herself of the Horse of the Year title, all in under 90 noisy seconds during the centrepiece of the $8.5m Champions Day.

But while her $1.20 odds would suggest everybody thinks she will win, a bigger question looms.

Will the NZB Kiwi winner remain a Kiwi (albeit one bred in Australia)?

These days, most of our racing superstars, equine or human, don’t.

New Zealand-born and educated James McDonald is officially rated the world’s best jockey. He lives in Sydney.

New Zealand-born and raised Ka Ying Rising is officially the world’s fastest racehorse. He lives and races almost exclusively in Hong Kong.

And Foxton-born and raised trainer Chris Waller is now the king of Sydney racing, from where his horses earned more than A$50m last season.

Just two weeks ago, Ohope Wins looked a superstar filly winning the NZ Oaks at Ellerslie, but was already sold to Australia and will not race here again.

The same applies to Autumn Glory and That’s Gold, two of the favourites in today’s $1.25m New Zealand Derby.

When you are as good at breeding racehorses and racing people as we are, the world takes notice.

In racing, money doesn’t talk, it shouts.

This is not new and is no tragedy. The enormous amounts paid for New Zealand horses are usually reinvested in the racing industry, keeping thousands of people employed.

But the mane drain is taking its toll on morale, as no New Zealand-trained horse has won a Group 1 race in Australia for nearly two years.

New Zealand-bred and sourced horses winning for local owners and trainers in Australia and Hong Kong are vital to the industry, but just not as much fun.

It is like a Kiwi cricketer hitting a century in the Indian Premier League compared with the same player raising the bat representing our country.

Same merit. Different emotions.

New Zealand racing fans want a great horse of their own, and a forward-thinking clause in the contract when a half-share in Well Written was sold in October means she could be that golden girl.

“There was a clause in the deal that she would remain in our stable for her entire racing career,” says trainer Marsh.

“We are thrilled to have her new owners, Yulong, on board, but she is also still half-owned here, and we think she will be staying.

“We plan to take her to Australia ourselves next season and try to beat them on their home tracks.”

A nod in that direction is the fact that the owner of breeding and racing at Yulong, Yuesheng Zhang, will be at Ellerslie today to watch Well Written and his latest acquisitons Thats Gold and Autumn Glory.

He could win Champions Day’s two richest races inside an hour.

Zhang appears to have fallen in love with New Zealand racing, and those close to him believe Well Written will race on next season as one of ours.

That is what New Zealand racing craves: a horse who might one day be a champion, to fly our flag, to go to Australia and kick their butts.

Like Kiwi in the Melbourne Cup. Or Bonecrusher. Or Sunline.

Is Well Written that horse? Impossible to tell yet.

But she might just be the next great New Zealand racing story.

Because there is no point having a poster girl if somebody steals your poster.

MICHAEL GUERIN’S BEST BETS

** R3: Tomodachi, dropping back in class

** R5: Lara Antipova, multi-bet anchor

** R8: That’s Gold, each-way value

** R9: He Who Dares, the place punt.

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.