Victory to keep tough nut in Guineas mix

[Wandering Eyes]

The lightly raced Duncan Creek (NZ) (Super Easy) has an opportunity to make up for lost time on his home track at Hastings on Saturday and also keep a Group One dream alive.

Restricted to just four appearances following a series of false starts, the son of Super Easy will step out in the Mardigras Events 3YO Premier (1300m) following a sound resuming fifth in the Listed El Roca – Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m).

Duncan Creek holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and will need to perform to his best on Saturday to give Patrick Campbell a chance to turn back the clock.

He won the race back in 1994 with the outstanding Avedon (NZ) (Famous Star), also successful in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) and Gr.1 Waikato Draught Sprint (1200m). He ended his racing days with a full house having also triumphed at Group Two, Three and Listed level.

“I think Duncan Creek’s a pretty fair horse, but he’s not easy. He’s still in the Guineas and that may be a bit of a pipe dream, basically he would have to win on Saturday to carry on to Riccarton,” Campbell said.

“He is a very, very tough horse with a few peculiarities, he whips around and plays up coming off the track, he’s got a few tricks in his armoury.”

Campbell is also keeping a close eye on the weather for Duncan Creek, who will be ridden again by Kate Hercock.

“I know all his form is on heavy tracks, but I am quite sure he will be better on the better tracks,” he said.

Duncan Creek finished runner-up on debut at Wanganui last season behind Prowess (NZ) (Proisir), current joint second favourite for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).

He then went one better at Otaki before finishing fourth in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m), and following a break was in behind the major players in the El Roca – Sir Coilin Meads on the opening day of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival.

“He just had a bit of trouble accelerating in the ground and he went into it without a trial or a jump-out,” Campbell said.

Raced by his Dannevirke-based breeder Alex Smith, Duncan Creek’s brief career has also frustratingly been full of drama off the track.

“He was going to the races for the first time at Tauherenikau and that meeting was abandoned and the next time he went we had a problem with the float and had to late scratch,” Campbell said.

“The third time was at Hastings and there were only four runners and he was late scratched again when the vet considered he was a little bit unsound.

“The other day the meeting at Hastings was abandoned when he was in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr.2, 1400m). so that was the fourth one he missed.

“We then elected to bypass last week when it was transferred to Matamata and stay here for this race.”

Campbell said Duncan Creek was in good order for the weekend with just a slight query at the distance.

“I would have preferred it to be 1400m, but he worked along nicely this morning and will be going into the race very well and very fit.”

A bold showing from Duncan Creek will also help ease Campbell’s disappointment at having to call time on the talented Satu Lagi (NZ) (Per Incanto).

“He had a bit of worry with his leg again so we made the decision to retire him,” he said.

“He was ready to go again and would have raced the day the races were abandoned at Hastings had he not had the problem.

“He has been such a good horse that I won’t be trying him again, the problem has kept flaring up. We never saw anywhere near the best of the horse.”

A son of Per Incanto, Satu Lagi was restricted to 19 appearances and won four times and was only out of the top five on one occasion and stakes placed when third in both the Gr.3 Stewards’ Stakes (1200m) and the Listed Levin Stakes (1200m).

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