Trainer worried about what’s in Habana’s head ahead of TAB Classic

Desert Lightning.

The normal things don’t concern trainer Lance Noble going into tomorrow’s $400,000 TAB Classic with Habana.

Noble could be worried about the step up to weight-for-age but he isn’t.

“He is a big strong horse who carries weight well and lumped 59kgs last start,” says the Pukekohe trainer.

He also isn’t concerned that Habana’s best form has been right-handed at his home track of Pukekohe.

“He stormed home and was unlucky at Te Rapa (left-handed) two starts ago and it especially isn’t a worry at Trentham on such a big track.”

And even the sheer class of taking on so many Group 1 proven horses with Habana doesn’t intimidate.

“We know how good he is and he is at his peak whereas that may not be the case for some of of his rivals. We don’t know that but we can’t be scared of them.”

But what does worry Noble about Habana going into the biggest challenge of his career is what is inside Habana’s head. Or isn’t inside his head.

“He is a very quirky horse,” explains Noble.

“If something upsets him he can spend the whole day running the fence in his paddock or walking around his box in circles.”

So what exactly would upset a big, strong race horse? Interest rate rises? The state of world rugby? Really, what could a horse have to worry about?

“Anything he doesn’t like annoys him. If a green tractor went past his paddock instead of the red one he is used to, that could upset him.

“He is THAT quirky,” says Noble without a hint of humour.

Which has left Noble and his team wondering the best way to get Habana from South Auckland to Trentham without upsetting him.

“That is what worries me, the travel,” admits Noble.

“Do we take him down early and he ends up walking his box for two days or take him down last minute and he only walks his box for a few hours?

“If he can control that aspect and handle the travel then I think he has a great chance.”

Habana looks the most in-form newcomer to weight-for-age in the grade and if he settles midfield out for jockey-of-the-moment Warren Kennedy he could be the horse to beat.

Still, he has a fair way to go to live up to Aegon’s career record that has a 2000 Guineas, Karaka Million Three-Year-Old and two big-time Australian wins and a host of group 1 placings to his name.

If Aegon was race fit and drawn to sit handy and not get pushed around he would deserved to be a hot favourite and he can clearly still win but barrier 17 reduces Michael McNab’s options and 1600m fresh up is never easy at this level.

Not much better drawn but proven at the highest level is Desert Lightning, who looks the best value in the race.

He has been narrowly beaten in last season’s 2000 Guineas and by Prowess, beating home Legarto, in this year’s Karaka Million Three-Year-Old.

“He always goes well in the big races but the draw clearly doesn’t help,” says trainer Peter Williams.

“He is going into it well but he is going to need the right sort of run from out there.”