TREKKING LOOKS THE PART IN THE WINTERBOTTOM

By Jack Petley | Saturday, November 28, 2020

Star Godolphin galloper Trekking is an ever so firm favourite, around $2.20 with most agencies, for the $1 million Winterbottom Stakes in Perth today and has had a lead up has been near perfect according to locals.

Trekking settled in well soon after his arrival and earlier in the week he showed he is ready for a big effort for James Cummings and his blue team with a stylish Belmont trials win. Since then, I gather, everything has gone to plan.

The closest to the Godolphin galloper in the market are: 7.50 Indian Pacific, 9 Celebrity Queen, 10 Stageman, 14 Valour Road, 15 Elite Street, 18 Vital Silver. Lightweight Elite Street is regarded as a chance at odds, but locals are suggesting the big danger to Trekking is the Neville Parnham trained Indian Pacific, a son of Zoustar, and winner of 6 from 9. Parnham rates his sprinter highly but he also has inside knowledge of Trekking, the sprinter has been stabled on his Perth property.

William Pike rides Trekking and he has yet again a strong book of rides including True Attraction, Sweet Dreamin, Absolute, Mystery Miss.

This is big news out of Europe, top rider Oisin Murphy has been outed by three months by France Gallop having tested positive metabolites of cocaine. He failed a test at Chantilly back in July ,said the champion rider: "The next three months will give me much time to reflect on my actions, but I will learn from the experience and come back better and even more determined than before."

Aussie Rupert Legh has enjoyed such wonderful success and he has every chance of having his colours carried to success in NZ today, at Ellerslie, by the very promising three-year-old colt Grip from the Gerard-Moroney yard at Matamata. The Exosphere colt gained his maiden win at Pukekohe last month and the stable holds him in high regard with the Derby firmly in their sights. Eventually the three-year-old will join Mike Moroney in Melbourne, but said, Gerard, he will tackle majors in NZ beforehand including, maybe, the Levin Classic and the $1m Karaka Mile. "We will take it race by race with the Derby in mind," she said adding that the other stable runner in the race today, Fleetwood Maca, a daughter of Rock n Pop is an improver. "She is a progressive filly," she said.

Ballarat trainer Michelle Payne has tough stayer Jukila going around in the Jericho Cup over 4600 metres. The NZ bred stayer has won six of 29 starts and ran fifth behind the Jericho favourite, Wil John at Ararat last outing. The horse was one of the first purchased by Payne after gaining her trainers' licence from the NZB Ready to Run sale with the assistance of Kevin Myers for $36,000.

I'm watching the Tony Pike trained colt Khufu, by American Pharoah, at Ellerslie today. Pike took the colt out of the Nearco Stud draft for $150,000 and even though the colt has yet to race Pike has kept up the payments for the $1m Karaka Million in January. "He is very promising, and he has shown us plenty on the track," said Pike. Included in the ownership of the colt are local studmasters so they will be viewing his form looking toward stud potential later on. The colt is a warm favourite today and is even solid in the Karaka Million mark at $13.

Pike also has the promising three-year-old Tellall at Ellerslie today and he rates the Spill the Beans gelding. "He is a nice progressive three-year-old," he told the NZ Racing Desk. The Derby is on the agenda for the three-year-old, a race Pike won last year with Sherwood Forest.

James Cummings