Home strait hopes for Banchee despite draw

MATAMATA trainer John Sargent believes talented filly Banchee can still win today's $1 million Karaka Million at Ellerslie, despite her horror draw.

"It is not the draw we wanted for her but I don't think it will stop her winning as long as the breaks come her way in the home straight," Sargent said.

"She is not an on-speed runner so from the draw she will just settle back in the field as usual and find her feet."

Sargent said Banchee would go into the race exactly how he wanted fitness-wise. "She has trained a treat this week."

The Oratorio filly, who was bought for $375,000 at last year's Karaka yearling sales from the Hallmark Stud draft, made a sparkling winning debut at Ellerslie on December 13, and was then an unlucky second behind Cellarmaster in the Eclipse Stakes on New Year's Day.

"She received a bump at a crucial stage in the Eclipse Stakes and the way she picked herself up from that and still ran second was a credit to her," Sargent said. Banchee, who was the $5 favourite on the TAB fixed odds market yesterday, will be ridden by ice cool jockey Leith Innes. The other favourite Big River ($5.50) has drawn perfectly in barrier two. He won the Wellesley Stakes at Trentham and was a fast-finishing fourth in the Eclipse Stakes after being forced back in the running from a wide draw. He will be ridden by leading jockey James McDonald.

Big River is trained at Matamata by Mark Walker, who is also represented in the event by strongly fancied Icepin, who guaranteed his place in the starting line-up today with a timely last-start win at Ellerslie.

Promising colt Everlasting, from Frank Ritchie's Cambridge stable, also has a wide draw to overcome. She has finished third in her last two outings after making a winning debut at Te Rapa in November.

Australian jockeys Michael Rodd and Hugh Bowman have the mounts on Hoofit and Brave Warrior. Rodd won this race last year aboard The Heckler.