A reduction in the distance of the Winter Classic has provided the opportunity for Superturf to complete a double at the Grand National meeting tomorrow.
The distance of the Winter Classic has been reduced by 200m to 1800m. Superturf won the Winter Cup (1600m) last Saturday. He has not won beyond 1600m and has been found wanting at three starts beyond that distance, two at 2100m and another at 2000m.
The 1800m may be within the scope of the son of Black Minnaloushe, the sire of mainly sprinter-milers.
"I am not too concerned with him getting 1800m on a reasonable track," Greg Lambert, his Awapuni trainer, said.
"The track was very heavy when he ran over 2100m and he didn't go that bad."
Lambert said Superturf had come through the Winter Cup "fine".
He has 56kg, 1kg above the minimum. He carried 53kg, the minimum in the Winter Cup.
Ishiabeel, Tick Tock Turbo and Don't Say Clang, the next three home in the Winter Cup, are again in the field.
Ishiabeel ran second to Crystal Duke over 1800m at Riccarton in May. She won the 2010 Warstep Stakes (2000m) for 3yr-old fillies at Riccarton.
Her stablemate, Don't Say Clang won the 2009 Winter Classic under 55kg. He has 1.5kg more tomorrow.
Tick Tock Turbo has not raced beyond 1600m but he has won at the past three Grand National meetings on heavy to dead tracks. The track was rated dead yesterday compared with slow on the first day.
Bruce Almighty, who faded to seventh in the Winter Cup, is a proven performer over more ground with wins in the Waikato Cup (2400m), Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) and Hororata Cup (1800m) at Riccarton.
The distance of the Winter Classic was reduced in a bid to attract a better field.
"The fields had been poor in recent times and the race lost its listed status," Jim Langan, the racing manager for the Canterbury Jockey Club, said.
"We wanted to encourage the Winter Cup horses to start and to that end we have succeeded with seven in the field."
A drying in the track is in favour of Volkswagin in the New Zealand Grand National Steeplechase.
The last time the John Wheeler-trained gelding raced on a dead track he won a steeplechase at Te Rapa in May.
He was running on well for third to stablemate Tobouggie Nights and Karlos in the Koral Steeplechase (4200m) last Saturday.
Tobouggie Nights is a $4.20 favourite with the New Zealand TAB, ahead of Karlos at $4.50 and Volkswagin on $5.50.
