Trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherley will have only one runner at Taupo on Monday but in handy stayer Ess Vee Are (NZ) (Shocking) they have a major player in the main event on the day, the Harcourts Taupo Cup (2000m).
The statuesque son of Shocking is coming off a last start fourth in the Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m) and will use the Taupo feature as his final preparatory run before tackling the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on 18 January.
While Darryn Weatherley believes the 2000m journey at Taupo may be slightly on the short side for his charge, he is keen to see him running on strongly with the famous Trentham two-miler on the horizon.
“He is a big, long striding customer who needs to find his feet before he gets rolling in his races,” Weatherley said.
“He hit the line well in the Waikato Cup after getting into tight quarters in the straight and at Taupo we want to see him doing the same thing.
“I had thought about giving him an exhibition gallop somewhere as his final lead-up but this race suits nicely, so we have chosen to go there instead.
“He has a nice weight (56.5kgs) and barrier draw (6) so he should be able to get a good trip in transit and if he can get clear air when he needs it, then we expect to see him in the finish.”
Weatherley is also out for a measure of revenge in the Wellington Cup, a race in which Ess Vee Are finished seventh earlier in the year after copping interference when Waisake lost his rider shortly after the start while also being inconvenienced by the tricky Soft6 track surface after plenty of rain on the day.
“He didn’t get all favours at Trentham and with such a big stride he just couldn’t get comfortable on a track that was cutting out a fair bit,” he said.
“He needs a Good track to show his best so we have our fingers crossed that is what he will strike.
“He deserves to win a good race as long as he can avoid some of the bad luck he tends to find at times.”
The Weatherley camp will also target another of the Trentham features with top-class miler Mali Ston (NZ) (El Roca), who is on song for a start in the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) on 11 January.
“Mali Ston went an enormous race in the Matamata Cup (Listed, 1600m) at his last start (for third) and he has thrived since then,” Weatherley said.
“He ran the best last 1000m in the race and the best last 600m of the whole day.
“He carried 59.5kgs while the winner (Khafre) and runner up (Mary Shan) both had 53kgs on their backs.
“We had considered a race at Ellerslie for him but he likes a big, roomy track with a little bit of give in it, so Trentham should suit him down to the ground.
“He ran third in the race in 2022 carrying 57kgs and this time the conditions of the race will see him carry 55kgs so he looks pretty well in with the way he has been going lately.”