Wellington Cup: Allan Sharrock setting out to do the right thing by two old mates

Trainer Allan Sharrock. Photo / Photosport

The Wellington Cup is more than a race for Allan Sharrock tomorrow, it is a chance to do the right thing by two old mates.

Sharrock is one of training geniuses of New Zealand racing and sits in the top 10 on the trainers’ premiership with a stunning strike and a Group 1 with Ladies Man to his credit already this season.

But winning this Wellington Cup with veteran warhorse Waisake in what will be close mate Tony Lee’s last Cup as a commentator would mean the world to Sharrock.

“Tony and I have been mates forever so I’d love to win his last Wellington Cup, it might even get me emotional,” says Sharrock.

“And Waisake would double down on that. We won this race together three years ago and he has had so many problems since.

“We have spent thousands of hours on him to get him back and give him this chance so I’d love to pull it off for me two old mates.”

Sharrock set Waisake for tomorrow’s $300,000 Cup at the start of this campaign and he couldn’t be happier with how the crucial last week has gone, including storming into third in the Trentham Stakes last Saturday.

“It couldn’t have gone any better really,” says Sharrock.

“He has had a light week but last week was better than expected and he is exactly where he needs to be.

“So maybe we can pull this off.”

The Cup question for punters might be, if you aren’t going to back Waisake then who are you backing?

It is a typical Wellington Cup, with a handful of proven, black type quality stayers and some trainers having a throw at the stumps because they think their horse can run 3200m, which will be half the battle.

Mary Louise can clearly win but any rain would help, Uareastar has won an Auckland Cup while Ess Vee Are is good enough although his New Year’s Day run at Pukekohe was hardly inspiring.

Then there is the 53-54kg brigade of which Canheroc and Roccia make the most appeal.

Sharrock suggests Herald readers get involved early at Trentham tomorrow with his best chance Alexandra Quick in race three.

“She has only had one start for a win and beat Lord Donovan, who went to Cup week at Riccarton and won three for Wheels [John Wheeler], and she is ready to go.”

Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald’s Racing Editor in 1995 and covers the world’s biggest horse racing carnivals.

Latest from Sport

Live updates of day three between the Black Caps and Australia.