Hall of Fame faces First Distance Test

The Informant reports:

The staying credentials of leading Vodafone New Zealand Derby contender Hall Of Fame will be put to the test when he breaks from a wide gate in tomorrow's (Saturday) Gr. 2 Darci Brahma Waikato Guineas at Te Rapa.

The impressive son of Savabeel has won four of his last five starts including a hard-fought win over Savile Row in the Gr. 1 Levin Classic at Trentham three weeks ago.

“He's come through the race and the trip to Trentham in really good order,” co-trainer Jamie Richards reported to The Informant this week.

Hall Of Fame has the pedigree to run further than the Levin Classic's 1600 metres, but his tendency to race on or near the speed earlier this season may have cast some doubt on those prospects - especially when he capitulated to finish 10th in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas in November. However, he has added another dimension to his racing style in comfortably taking a trail behind the leaders in both of his last two wins.

"With it being his first time over 2000 metres, we want to make sure he settles into a good rhythm and we get him breathing nicely."

Tomorrow he steps beyond 1600 metres for the first time, breaking from gate 10 in the 17-horse field for the traditional Derby lead-up - a race that has been won by five subsequent Derby winners in the last six years with Jimmy Choux, Silent Achiever, Puccini, Mongolian Khan and Rangipo.

“This is his first time stepping up to 2000 metres, and it's a distance we believe is going to suit him,” Richards said. “He's got a bit of an awkward draw, but that's what Opie (Bosson, jockey) is there for. Hopefully he can get him into a nice position.

“We won't be rushing him early, that's for sure. With it being his first time over 2000 metres, we want to make sure he settles into a good rhythm and we get him breathing nicely. Then we'll see how he can finish it off at the end.”

Victory tomorrow would cap an outstanding week for the Te Akau team, with the Fortuna filly Melody Belle winning the Karaka Million last Sunday and Te Akau principal David Ellis claiming another leading buyer title at this week's Premier Sale at Karaka.

The Waikato Guineas was initially expected to be a rematch of the Levin Classic, in which Hall Of Fame downed Savile Row by a nose in a head-bobbing finish. But Savile Row will bypass the race and instead tackle older horses at weight-for-age in next Saturday's Herbie Dyke Stakes.

Hall Of Fame and Savile Row will have their next meeting in the $1 million Vodafone New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on March 4, in which they are each rated a $9 chance. They share third favouritism with the unbeaten filly Volpe Veloce and Hall Of Fame's stablemate Heroic Valour, who is an unlikely runner. Sacred Elixir remains the favourite at $5, with last weekend's impressive Ellerslie winner Camino Rocoso at $7.

Provided Hall Of Fame performs up to expectations tomorrow, the colt will cap off his Derby preparation in the Gr. 2 Avondale Guineas at Ellerslie in two weeks' time.

Richards and senior training partner Stephen Autridge have a second runner in tomorrow's Guineas field in the form of Shocking Luck. The Shocking gelding, who does not hold a Derby nomination, was an impressive maiden winner over this distance two starts back.

“He's raced well in lower grades and we think he's a very progressive horse,” Richards said. “He's improving all the time and his fitness has gone to another level since his last-start placing, which came a month after his previous run. He worked nicely with Hall Of Fame on Tuesday morning and we expect him to be competitive.”

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