Manawatu galloper Surface will have his third rider in as many starts this campaign when he tackles the $100,000 Auto Auctions weight-for-age in the Wellington RC meeting at Otaki next week.
Surface has been ridden by Noel Harris and Lance O'Sullivan in his two starts since resuming but they both have prior commitments for the group one Auto Auctions on Thursday.
Harris will stick with South Island sprinter Fritz, whom he partnered to second behind Sunline in last Saturday's $100,000 Waikato Sprint (1400m), and O'Sullivan has opted to stay with Levin mare Cinder Bella.
O'Sullivan rode Cinder Bella during her spring campaign, including victory in the group one $100,000 weight-for-age Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham.
Surface could manage only eighth in the Waikato Sprint but both trainer Noel Eales and O'Sullivan were far from disappointed with the run.
Eales said he was kicking himself afterwards for instructing O'Sullivan to ride the horse back in the field.
"I thought there would be a lot of pace on at Te Rapa but as it turned out, I would have been better to tell Lance to ride him handy," Eales said.
Sunline was able to dictate terms throughout and sprinted home, leaving her rivals in her wake. Few horses made up any ground in the straight.
Eales is hoping Surface, who won the Auto Auctions when run at Otaki last year, can produce a big run next week to convince him to press ahead with a Sydney campaign.
He is planning to take a team of five or six horses to Sydney, with Surface holding a nomination for the $A2.5 million Doncaster Handicap (1600m) on April 14.
Uncle, Greene Street and Italian Count were among other horses he was considering for Sydney.
Uncle has had a quiet time since finishing 10th in the Wellington Cup last month and will not race again until next month. He has been nominated for the $A800,000 Sydney Cup on April 28.
Greene Street, who produced a bold run for eighth in the Wellington Cup after going to the lead in the straight, could have his next start in the $60,000 Taranaki Cup (2000m) on March 24.
"He's come through Wellington very well and I'm very pleased with him," Eales said.
Italian Count will tackle the $20,000 St Leger Trial (2100m) at Trentham next Wednesday before contesting the $40,000 New Zealand St Leger (2500m) at Trentham on March 10.
Eales had also been considering a tilt at the $A150,000 Duke Of Norfolk Stakes (3200m) at Flemington, Melbourne, on March 17 and though he has not completely ruled it out, it is more likely Italian Count would go to Sydney.
Count Chivas, who suffered a minor leg strain when checked during the running of the Manawatu Cup in December, is being given a two-month break.
Eales is confident he will return 100 per cent fit. "There is no tendon damage and it is an injury rather than a weakness," he said.
- NZPA
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