Only one part of Skew Wiff’s build-up to the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham on Saturday has not gone to plan for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, and it is a factor beyond their control.
The Trentham track was rated a Soft 6 on Friday morning, with MetService predicting heavy rain and possible thunderstorms and hail overnight. Any remaining showers are forecast to ease on the morning of the race.
“We couldn’t be any happier with the horse, but we’re just a bit worried about that weather forecast,” Walker said.
“She handles soft ground well and has a good record in those conditions, but if the forecast is right, it might end up being heavy. We wouldn’t be as confident in her chances if that happened.”
The Telegraph will be Skew Wiff’s second start at Trentham, with both of those appearances coming at Group One level. She lined up in the Levin Classic (1600m) as a three-year-old two seasons ago, finishing a gallant second behind stablemate Romancing The Moon.
Skew Wiff went on to prove her big-race quality by winning last season’s Group 1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings and Group 3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m) at Flemington. As a five-year-old this season, she has added a third in the Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa, a fourth in the Tarzino Trophy and a last-start second in the Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) at Matamata on October 2.
Walker and Bergerson then decided to freshen the Savabeel mare up for a shot at the $550,000 Telegraph, in which she will be ridden by visiting Australian jockey Luke Currie and is rated a $5 chance in the market with horse racing bookmakers. She shares second favouritism with Tarzino winner Grail Seeker, while Crocetti just shades them as the $4.50 favourite with Neds.
“She has a very strong record fresh, so it made sense for us to set her for this race in that state,” Walker said. “We’ve been really happy with the build-up that she’s had. She was very good in her trial at Matamata (on December 20) and has continued to please us since then. That weather forecast is our only concern.”
Horse racing news