Zealand Star just needs a little luck from the outside of the gate on Friday night.
Undercheck should help the real Zealand Star front up at Cambridge
By Barry Lichter • 2 January 2019
A key gear change and a big drop in class point to Zealand Star turning his form around at Cambridge on Friday night.
Zealand Star disgraced himself at Alexandra Park on New Year’s Eve when expected to go a big race, breaking for the second start on end just before the mobile release.
The horse lost his chance to trail the pacemaking winner American Empress when he started pulling in the score-up for Zachary Butcher, and his head got higher and higher, unbalancing him and sending him into a gallop.
Trainer Ray Green will fit an undercheck on Friday to prevent a repeat.
“He apparently had the same problem in the South Island but hopefully the undercheck will sort that out.’’
Zealand Star’s formline in race six might look a bit sick on paper but he has been going excellent races in much stronger company at Auckland and drops to an extremely winnable rating 54 to 63 event this week.
Butcher will have to find a winning route from the outside of the gate this time, however, after he was placed on the unruly list by the stewards. But he only has to find a smother and get a little luck at the right time to be right in the fight.
Phil Bromac’s inexperience will be against him but he does have a bit of speed.Cautious on debut
Green says he’s not expecting too much from race one debutant Phil Bromac from his second line draw.
“He’s very green and will probably need the experience but he does have some speed and if he got the right trip he could still get the money.’’
Phil Bromac will start from two on the second row, following out the perennial placegetter Mr Incredible, the choice of drive by Lincoln Farms’ No.1 reinsman Zachary Butcher.
The three-year-old goes into the race well schooled with seven workouts and two trials, having shown a sprinkling of speed along with his greenness.
In his latest appearance at Pukekohe last Saturday he ran a faultless third behind Kolovos, a debut winner for Jeremy Young at Auckland in July.
And Phil Bromac did a lot more work than Kolovos in the running, pulling out from fifth at the 700 metre mark to sit parked, while Kolovos enjoyed the sweet trail behind leader Cheddar’s Princess throughout.
Phil Bromac did well for his placing given the closing sectionals were 58.6 and a slick 26.9.
By Washington VC, Phil Bromac is out of the Falcon Seelster mare Amaretto Bromac who did not win in five starts but his great grand dam Ar Miss left the champion racemare Armalight.
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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Spirited Belle
4.46pm
Delany: “I saw she’d been punted but somebody must know something we don’t as I’ve been working her myself and, while she feels all right and hasn’t put the boot in like at Auckland, I think she’ll need the run. She hasn’t got any high speed but feels like she will stay. She has improved a bit but I’d be surprised if she won.”
Race 1: Lincoln Maree
4.46pm
“It’s always hard from these draws but she’s a tough mare who will make her own luck at some stage. She’s going well enough - her drivers have all been happy - and she’s a little warrior who tries like hell.”
Race 2: Major Copy
5.12pm
“He’s only two and very inexperienced but he feels like a good colt and there’s a lot of improvement in him. He certainly caught a lot of people’s attention last time. I don’t know how good he is yet but he’ll be right there.”
Race 2: Prince Lincoln
5.12pm
“If he can lead without having to do too much work I can’t see anything beating him. I thought he went great last start. He pressed the winner hard ’til the corner then just flattened out in the run home, but he had every reason to do that after all the work he’d done.”
Race 4: Spirit Of God
6.12pm
“She’s been undone by bad draws. If she led easily from three she’d be hard to beat as she’s a good front-runner.”
Race 4: Spirited Peggy
6.12pm
“We’ve had her for only two weeks but she’s seven now and has had her chance to win one. She has a bit of speed but I think she gets pulling so we’ve got the Hidez (compression) hood on her and plugged her ears up.”
Race 6: Copy N Paste
7.10pm
“We won’t see the best of him for another six months. He’s been a slow developing horse but is improving all the time and getting stronger.”
Race 6: Jessie Lincoln
7.10pm
“If I was having a bet on one of them in the race it would be her. She deserves to win one. Her last two have been really good - she just ran into one who was a bit slicker last time in Major Copy.”
Race 6: Lincoln Dealer
7.10pm
“He’s a bit one-dimensional - you’ve got to feed him track and let him run - so the second row draw is a big handicap. To his credit I was surprised he finished so close last time after all the work he did. When he gets a decent draw and crosses them they’ll know they’re at the races. He’s got a big motor and tries hard.”
Race 8: Rivergirl Bella
8.08pm
“She clawed her way to the front last time but had nothing left at the finish. That won’t happen this time and she should lead easily from one.”
Race 8: Angelic Copy
8.08pm
“She’s had terrible draws but has been going good races. The others last time were just better than her but this is a big drop in class. With the right trip she could get some of it at huge odds.”
Race 9: Sugar Ray Lincoln
8.35pm
“He’s not quick away from a stand but he won’t muff it completely. He steps from the front line and Peter Ferguson was quite happy with his last run.”
Race 9: Lincoln Wave
8.35pm
“He bombed the stand the first time but to be fair all those horses were rushing up at him from the back and that panicked him a bit. He’s on 10 metres this time so that won’t happen.”
