Sir Slick shows off a new trick

An old dog unveiled a new trick in an emotion-charged Tauranga Stakes on Saturday.

''People's champion'' Sir Slick belied his veteran status to register a landmark 21st career win at his 106th start, bucking his customary frontrunner style of racing with a withering sprint from back in the field to seal the $70,000 weight-for-age Gr III 1600m feature.

Volksraad eight-year-old Sir Slick became the first horse to notch 21 wins in New Zealand since Covered N' Grey, who retired in 1999, while Saturday's winning stake of $43,750 took his New Zealand earnings to $1,706,975, just $1295 shy of Horlicks on the all-time domestic rich list.

Dual Kelt Capital Stakes winner Princess Coup heads the pair with $2,948,150.

Sir Slick's overall career earnings stand at $1,884,445.
Ridden by Samantha Collett, Sir Slick settled worse than midfield, according to a plan formulated by Te Aroha owner-trainer Graeme Nicholson, who races the ironhorse in partnership with long-time stable owner Frances Crimmins.

Turning for home, Collett angled Sir Slick to the middle of the track for clear running and he accelerated swiftly to haul in the leaders and score by 2 3/4 lengths.

Casa De Campo finished second, a long head in front of Alagant Satin, with a short neck back to She Rules. Pinnafero and Cross Roads were the next pair home.

Sir Slick returned to a rapturous reception from a bumper crowd at Tauranga, where Sir Slick has now won five of his 11 starts and become a firm fans' favourite.

''I've never seen so many ladies with tears in their eyes,'' Nicholson said yesterday.

''The crowd went berserk when he did what he did at the finish. We've been through a lot of pain the last few weeks and I only hope the Racing Victoria vets saw what he did yesterday.''

Nicholson was referring to vets forcing the Sir Slick's scratching from the A$3 million Cox Plate at Moonee Valley last month on the morning of the race through a hoof ailment, while only two weeks later he was unable to get vet clearance to race in the Gr I Emirates Stakes at Flemington.

Nicholson said Sir Slick would now go on to the Gr III $70,000 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie, where he would carry 58kg under the set weights and penalties conditions of the race, before reverting back to weight-for-age for the Gr I $200,000 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on December 5.

Nicholson refused to rule out Sir Slick again racing back in the field in those two races.

''I said to Sam before the race, 'they are going to go like hell to try and put pressure on Slick so just let him sit wherever he's happy','' Nicholson said.

''When he turned into the straight, I knew he had plenty left in the tank and I was saying to myself 'Sam, now just let him give it to them' and she did. But honestly, I didn't think he'd come home like that though.

''Everyone knows how Slick races but he doesn't have to go to the lead, and from now on I'll tell Sam - because she'll ride him again - to just go out and let him do what he wants to.''

For Collett, 19, the win was ground-breaking on two counts.

She had ridden Sir Slick to second placings in the Gr I New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie, the Gr II Japan/New Zealand International Trophy at Tauranga and the Gr II Awapuni Gold Cup last season but Saturday's race was the first time she had ridden him to win.

It was also the first black-type winner of her career.

''He's just a great animal, such a neat old horse,'' she said.

''Once I got out, he let down really well. He's a real pleasure to ride.''

Meanwhile, Matamata colt Prince Of Wales stamped his class with a determined win in the $20,000 John Warren Insurance 3yo (1400m) to confirm a tilt at the Gr I $200,000 Levin Classic (1600m) at Otaki on November 27.

Ridden by Michael Coleman, the Bachelor Duke three-year-old came from off the pace to defeat Finderskeepers by three-quarters of a length, with Street Party flashing home along the inside for third.

Trainer Paul Moroney said Prince Of Wales had taken longer to come up as a three-year-old because of a ''heart issue'' but his training leading up to Saturday had proven he was back to full fitness.

''He'd been training like he was about to go and win and he did,'' Moroney said.

''I thought it was a supreme effort. He showed us what we wanted to see - that he'd be able to run a metric mile at his next start.

''I've always thought he was out of the top draw, our best sprinter-miler three-year-old and he proved that yesterday.''

- © Fairfax NZ News