Sharrock happy with a damp Trentham

[Wandering Eyes]

Allan Sharrock is balancing stronger opposition against the prospect of a rain-affected track as he weighs up Ladies Man’s chances of claiming back-to-back Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classics (1600m) on Saturday.

Ladies Man won last year’s Trentham weight-for-age feature with a brilliant final burst to claim La Crique by a neck and will take a similar last-start formline into the race after finishing fourth in the Gr.2 Gartshore Construction Tauranga Stakes (1600m) three weeks ago.

“He was good at Tauranga, I gave him a pass mark for that, but more importantly he’s gone the right way since, his work on Tuesday was very good,” Sharrock said after the release of the TAB Classic field on Wednesday.

“It’s probably a stronger field this year, what with Waitak at the top of his form, La Crique there again and with that other very good mare Legarto as well, so it’s not going to be easy.

“In our favour is the weather they’ve had in Wellington this week; I think a bit of precipitation and with the track currently rated Heavy8, that could swing things our way.”

The three Waikato-trained horses identified by Sharrock dominate the TAB’s final field market, with Waitak, chasing a Group One hat-trick, at $3.30, Legarto $3.60 and La Crique $4.50.

Ladies Man shares the next line with another northerner, Captured By Love, at $8.50, while Provence is next quoted at $11.

Captured By Love will be ridden on Saturday by Opie Bosson, who is still seeking his 100^th Group One after taking his tally to 99 on Ladies Man 12 months ago.

However, Sharrock is more than comfortable to have engaged Rory Hutchings, who has returned from Australia for another summer stint.

“I’m very happy to have Rory on, we know how well he rides in these races and after all he’s a redhead like me,” Sharrock said.

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