Saturday's Premier meeting at Ellerslie features three stakes races. The highlight being the Group 1 $200,000 Manco Easter Stakes (1600m).
Also on the card is the Group 2 $100,000 Valachi Downs Championship Stakes (2100m) and the Listed $50,000 Auckland Co-Op Taxis Champagne Stakes (1600m).
The Easter Stakes, formerly an open handicap, will be run for the first time under set weight and penalties conditions, conditions that have replaced most feature handicap races in New Zealand.
One runner that will be suited to the new conditions will be Julinsky Prince. The Fraser Auret trained gelding has Group One wins in the Windsor Park Plate and Captain Cook Stakes, and two placings at Group One level this season. He is the third highest rated horse in the country at 106 and fares a lot better at the conditioned weighted race than most of his rivals.
A month ago, he carried 59.5kgs into second place in the Group 2 Japan-NZ International Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga. Carrying 7.5kgs more than winner Watch This Space.
Even after Watch This Space was given 11 points up to 94, he rises to carry 57kgs on Saturday - only 2kgs less than the topweight. Under handicap conditions it would have been 6kgs. Another two badly affected are Mabeel and Snapshot. The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young lightly tried gelding is rated 93, but carries just 3kgs less than Julinsky Prince. Under handicap conditions it would have been 6.5kgs. It would take a big effort for the fixed price favorite to win and send Busuttin and Young with their final Group One runner from their Cambridge base to their new establishment in Australia.
Snapshot from the Graham Richardson stable fares badly too, rated 91 and conceding Julinsky Prince only 4kgs.
It is a disappointment that most of our famous (Group) handicap races being replaced with set weight and penalty condition races. These condition races usually suit fillies and mares.
Another highlight tomorrow is the Listed $50,000 Auckland Co-Op Taxis Champagne Stakes (1600m). The two-year-old feature has attracted only seven runners.
It surprising it hasn't attracted more quality considering the fine weather forecasted, and good (Dead4) track conditions (at this time of year) that will be provided by the Auckland team.
At Waipa trials on Thursday there were 12 trials dedicated to juveniles and there were 90 juveniles trialing, which included two juveniles that had their recent starts in Listed company.
