Terrible barrier draws put the kibosh on Latta’s Taupo hopes on Friday

Trainer Lisa Latta was looking forward to Taupo on Friday where she planned to use the good footing to launch the campaigns of Princess Amelie and Platinum Road.

But today’s barrier draw has put the kibosh on that with Princess Amelie now a doubtful starter and Platinum Road all but out of contention from the outside gate of 13.

Taupo, which had a track rating of a dead 5 today, with a fine forecast, would have been an ideal springboard for the speedy mare Princess Amelie.

But she is a go-forward horse, who has never performed when taken back in the field, and when the marbles came out she had gate 15.

One drawn further out, Farm Boy, has already been scratched and every one of the four ballots left have drawn inside her, so more scratchings will only worsen her starting position.

Latta says if that happens she will not be starting the mare and will wait for a race at Waverley in two weeks.

That would be shame given how well Princess Amelie trialled at Foxton a couple of weeks ago, only her laziness without blinkers costing her a win.

Platinum Road … trialled strongly at Foxton.Latta says she really has to run Platinum Road in the fifth race, even though he’s drawn 13 of 13.

“I want to kick him off on good footing and the forecast for next week isn’t great. I think we’re better off starting so we can get a run into him and get a line on where he’s at.

“Taupo’s not an easy track, especially from out wide, and there’s a fair bit of unexposed form in the race, but he needs to run.

“His work has been good but his coat is still not quite there so he will improve with it.

“He’ll get over a bit of ground as the season progresses.”

The Declaration Of War colt raced with distinction in his first two races earlier in the year, running fourth and sixth in two-year-old stakes races at Trentham and Te Rapa.

He trialled strongly at Foxton on September 3, hampered most of the way up the home straight and finishing hard held in third place.

Rider Robbie Hannam reported he could have won the heat with a clear run.