Racing: Six of one ... Anderson weighs two cup chances

Graeme Anderson.
Graeme Anderson.
It was not quite game, set and match for Graeme Anderson when asked to figure out his best chance in the Winton Businesses Cup tomorrow.

The Westwood Beach trainer has been taken by Match Point since the 5yr-old arrived at the beach last month from Dean Taylor's Ladbrooks stables.

While tomorrow's 2400m mobile pace will be Match Point's biggest test to date, Anderson believes he and Starsky's Dream are both capable of grabbing the thick end of the winners' cheque in the $9000 feature.

''By history, Starsky's Dream would probably be the better horse, although Match Point is getting better,'' Anderson said.

''He's just suited the regime. To be fair, he's never done anything but wanted to be there since he's arrived. Maybe the added blinkers might have helped him but he's a nice pacer and a nice horse.

''He's a good staying type of horse and the day he won he showed a good turn of speed.''

Match Point is race-fit, whereas Starsky's Dream - the winner of five of his 15 starts - has just one trial under his belt since his last run at Gore in late December.

''He's come back and he's grown,'' he said.

''He's mentally in a good state - I think he's a good chance on Sunday.

''Tony Barron's horse [Delightful Dash] is hard to beat but gee, I like Starsky's Dream a little bit.''

The progressive pacer cut short his summer campaign when he fell over at the tie-up stalls at Roxburgh in January, but the accident, and the subsequent spell, has become a positive.

''It's probably the best thing that ever happened to him. He's grown and he's in a good state of mind at the moment. He's the sort of horse who can be a bit flighty but he's matured physically and mentally.''

Starsky's Dream won his trial against Match Point at Forbury Park on Saturday and Anderson's other runner tomorrow, Titan Banner, finished 14 lengths back in third.

But Anderson said the presence of some ducks - who are regular visitors to Forbury Park - explains Titan Banner's distant third.

''There were a couple of ducks on the inside of the track the other day and he had a bit of a shy and had a jump out of his gear,'' he said.

''But Amber [Hoffman] was driving and said he was travelling beautifully at that stage. He's always been a horse that's shown plenty - with a bit of maturity and natural progression.

''It's first up and we're not going to kill him, but he should be still good for them, to be fair.''

Meanwhile, Anderson's tight-class pacer Belkmyster will head to Rangiora next week for the group 3 Rangiora Classic before Anderson and owners the Met Seven Syndicate figure out the next step.

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