It's not Sushi Sushi that worries Elizabeth Heath - it's the Kiwis!

[Duane Ranger]

New South Wales trainer Elizabeth Heath respects Australians Sushi Sushi and Royal Verdict in the Woodlands Derby Final on Match 11, but its's the Kiwis who scare her the most.

Is she right or are the Aussies really a class above?

http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=87523

[eljay]

The big uncertainty is the draw. From what I've seen, and all things being equal, which they never are, my pick for the derby is Sushi Sushi.

[mango]

Where's Matt Maguire

[mango]

Sushi Sushi great run and so were the other 2 Aussie's, it was good to see Major Mark recapturing some of his 2yr old form and i think when Mark left him in Vic for a couple of races after the derby it has helped him out.

[Maorisidol]

Sushi draws the pole in the final...
how demoralizing...

[eljay]

Sushi draws the pole in the final...
how demoralizing...

Who for??

[mango]

With Sushi Sushi drawing the pole and if he holds it that will give Major Mark a good run through from the 2nd line and he will get his chance to out sprint him with the use of the sprint lane.

[Maorisidol]

Who for??

The opposition, Sushi will b even better this week...

[buster]

Must have missed the Vic derby heat, sushi will destroy them

[triplev123]

...and then some Buster, and then some.
Sushi Sushi will grind their bones to make his bread.

[mango]

Hi Triple

I hope Sushi Sushi wins but i would not count Major Mark out who will get the run of the race and his last couple of runs have been good so he will be primed for this one, i also think Royal Verdict will be fitter for the hit out last week so i'd put him in my top 3.

[triplev123]

If a Sushi Sushi-Royal Verdict-Excel Stride trifecta comes to pass the Kiwi Breeders will be out in their paddocks, self flagellating with knotted leads and birch brooms...for weeks on end. :rolleyes:

[Don Corleone]

Hey Triple, the key word in your last post is ...........IF. Sushi should win, especially now from the draw. I don't think here in NZ we have a very good crop. Same as our trotters, nothing stamping their mark on the season. So it's a prime time to knock us over.

[buster]

i wonder if elizabeth heath is worried about sushi sushi yet?

[triplev123]

Liz doesn't get worried about too much Buster. I'm sure her colt will be physically & mentally fit and ready to go and he will be well driven. The rest is up to him.
Don Corleone, you've thrown me for a loop there. Are you sure that you are a Kiwi? You appear to be too much of a realist. An Australian mother or father perhaps? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[threewisemen]

you are all speaking as if sushi has the derby wrapped up already. anything can happen in these big races. he may have to do a bit of work out of the gate this week and the extra 500m could leave him a sitting a duck coming up the final straight.

[mango]

Hi Threewisemen

Thats why i think Major Mark will get the run of the race without doing much work which should leave him a kick in the straight.

[triplev123]

Maybe...but that Derby Heat win of Sushi's was pretty damned impressive. If anything is a good thing going into a race like that then he is a good thing. He won his Heat in a jog, Greg Sugars went to the line Cigar Store Indian style, he didn't move a muscle. Wait until he pops the question and really asks the horse to put in his best effort. I'm picking that they won't know which way he went. For an example of what I'm talking about here, go to the Oz website and have a look at the way he absolutely took them apart in the VIC Derby Final at Melton, Feb 5th. Unfortunately it doesn't show the HUGE mid-race move he made to get to the front but suffice it to say that very few horses could do what he did that night.

[threewisemen]

agree triplev123 was an impressive run it was just unfortunate the race was over after royal verdict choked down and started dropping out holding up hez matt maguire he lost about 10 meters there and was only beaten by 7 meters just think the race may have been alot closer if that didnt happen .in saying that sushi still had them covered that night

[Don Corleone]

Liz doesn't get worried about too much Buster. I'm sure her colt will be physically & mentally fit and ready to go and he will be well driven. The rest is up to him.
Don Corleone, you've thrown me for a loop there. Are you sure that you are a Kiwi? You appear to be too much of a realist. An Australian mother or father perhaps? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Hey Triple - I am not sure who my father is so more than likely he is Australian !!!!

[triplev123]

Hahahahahaha. That's nasty.

[threewisemen]

fixed odds out in australia has sushi $1.40 major mark $7 terror to love $8 excel stride $8.5 royal verdict $15... will sushi take the sit

[mango]

I wouldn't think so cause he would be to worried about the horse he handed up to handing up which would leave him 3 back the pegs, i think he's good enough to lead and win my only worry would be Major Mark getting the easy run on his back and using the sprint lane.

[threewisemen]

im starting to think $15 for royal verdict are very good odds.... race may be run to suit him???

[triplev123]

Major Mark is Sushi's danger. He will try to sit the pocket and suck Sushi's blood all the way to the passing lane.

[mango]

If Sushi Sushi leads and holds there will be pressure put on from the start and i expect some move's so it could really set it up for a number of horses. Royal Verdicts odds are attractive.

[triplev123]

I can't remember the last time there was genuine pressure at the start of a race in NZ.

[Don Corleone]

Couldn't agree with you more triple. Too many of our races are not aggressive enough in the first 2 furlongs. Too much respect is given one or two horses. Can't see that happening tonight though.

[threewisemen]

$500,000 group 1 derby.... triple there will be early pressure... if so sushi will hand up to excel stride

[nat]

Royal Verdict and De Lovely at odds for me

[triplev123]

I've got my doubts Don & threewise. I think the mentality is so deeply rooted in the driving psyche over there that I'm not so sure there'll be any genuine pressure early. That is basically how Auckland Reactor has managed to skate for so long. Besides...who is going to willingly make themselves the chopping block and pressure him enough to hand up? If they take him on they will pay a terrible price. Add to that the fact that it's very doubtful Greg Sugars will feel the need hand up to anyone based on the Heat win last week. He sat like a Cigar Store Indian down the stretch and the horse won unextended. He knows how many gears the horse has. As I mentioned to someone else, watch the way he absolutely shredded them in the VIC Derby.

[mango]

Sushi Sushi was just awsome and Excell Stride well i better not say what i think.

[threewisemen]

what about royal verdicts run... nearly jumped in greg sugars lap. great lead all the way victory by sushi