Horse racing: Exciting field is expected for Te Rapa flat feature

Foxbridge Plate contender and 2000 Guineas winner Pier. Photo / Trish Dunell

Two of the big boys of New Zealand galloping look set to add their class to the $150,000 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate on Saturday if the Waikato weather continues to improve.

The trainers of both Pier and Dragon Leap have confirmed their Group 1 performers will take their place in the first major weight-for-age race of the season, providing Te Rapa isn’t extremely heavy, and indications are they could get the conditions they want.

“We had 28ml of rain over the weekend but the forecast is good for the rest of the week,” says Waikato Thoroughbred Racing chief executive Butch Castles.

“So talking to our track manager Bart Cowan [yesterday], all going well, we could get a soft7 or 8 rated track for Saturday.”

That will be music to the ears of most trainers, as the Foxbridge could not only feature 2000 Guineas winner Pier and regular Group 1 fixture Dragon Leap, but favourite Darci La Bella, Brando, exciting stablemate Skew Wiff and Hawke’s Bay galloper Wewillrock, fresh back from a winning Sydney campaign.

Pier has raced only twice since beating Prowess in the 2000 Guineas last November but looked very forward winning at the Te Rapa trials on August 1.

“We couldn’t be happier with him and he will definitely accept with

him on Wednesday,” says co-trainer Darren Weatherley.

“He will start unless it looks like being bottomless, which it doesn’t, and even then, he has won on a heavy10 before.

“So we intend being there, and then all going well, the Tarzino at Hastings after that.

“I think that is a better option than going straight to Melbourne for a race like the Memsie and maybe taking on I Wish I Win or Mr Brightside first start as a 4-year-old.

“If he can come out and race well this Saturday and then again in the Tarzino, he will tell us where he is at and then we have options in Australia, whether that is Melbourne, or if he’s really flying, a race like the Golden Eagle.”

Dragon Leap will have the recent fitness edge over most of the returning stars after his effortless last start win under 62kg at Ruakākā and co-trainer Andrew Scott says they also plan to start on Saturday.

“Like a lot of trainers, we wouldn’t want a really heavy track, but he will handle plenty of give in it.

“He has come on since his win at Ruakākā and is really sound, so we are going into Saturday with a happy horse.”

While many of New Zealand’s elite gallopers such as Imperatriz, Prowess and Legarto will compete in special black type trials before tomorrow’s Taupo meeting, the Foxbridge has still attracted an even mix and has the makings of a good betting race.

It will be the highlight of the Te Rapa meeting, which also sees the $60,000 Pakuranga Hunt Cup and a $60,000 open hurdle as the lead-ups to next month’s two Great Northerns, also at Te Rapa.

The meeting could also have another bonus for punters, with former premiership-winning jockey Samantha Collett available for rides at Te Rapa.

Collett is back from her new home in Queensland for two weeks and has brought her riding gear so will ride at Te Rapa if required.

Te Rapa treats

Saturday’s big three races

●$150,000 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate

●$60,000 Pakuranga Hunt Cup Steeple

●$60,000 Pakuranga Open Hurdle