Splurge Set for Challenge Stakes

The Informant reports:

The scratching of seven-time Group One winner Kawi (and also yesterday of Amarula) from today's Gr. 2 Kamada Park Manawatu Challenge Stakes at Awapuni leaves an open field headed by a pair of well-credentialed northern visitors.

Heading into this weekend with a rating of 110 and a superb last-start victory in the Captain Cook Stakes, Kawi appeared to tower over his eight rivals for the $100,000 weight-for-age feature. But his New Plymouth trainer and part-owner Allan Sharrock was forced to pull the pin on Thursday morning.

“Unfortunately he's got a stone bruise and I'm not prepared to risk him,” he reported on Thursday.

“Perhaps it's a sign, go for the Telegraph (over 1200 metres at Trentham on January 20) and put the hood on him.”

Matamata raider Splurge could be the one to step up and capitalise on the absence of the country's highest-rated galloper.

The Savabeel gelding emerged as an exceptional sprinting talent last season, winning five of his six New Zealand starts including the Gr. 3 Darley Plate at Ellerslie in March. Splurge lost his form during a brief Queensland winter campaign, but has shown encouraging signs with placings in each of his last three appearances.

In his most recent start in the Gr. 3 Eagle Technology Stakes at Ellerslie, Splurge hit the lead at the 100-metre mark and looked the winner before being nailed right on the line by Hiflyer.

“We're very happy with the horse and the scratching of Kawi does open the race up a little bit,” said Jamie Richards, who trains in partnership with Stephen Autridge.

Splurge has worked well in the three weeks since that Ellerslie run, including a professional gallop under Michael McNab on Tuesday morning. Working well within himself, he ran 1000 metres in 1:06.4 with the last 600 in 37.8 seconds. McNab will take the mount this afternoon.

“We think he's back near the level he was before he went to Australia in the winter,” Richards said.

“He's in great order. He's bounced through his Ellerslie race particularly well. We were tossing up between the J Swap Sprint at Te Rapa last Saturday and this race at Awapuni. We opted for the latter, and the step down to 1400 metres off three weeks' rest should suit him.”