Racing action aplenty

The Go Racing team will be out in force this weekend.

The syndication company’s blueand-white colours should be prominent in feature races at Trentham and Ellerslie.

Go Racing will have two form runners in Seize The Moment and Ruud Not Too in the Harcourts Thorndon Mile at Trentham tomorrow and will also have Hasahalo and Sophie’s Choice in the Karaka Million at Ellerslie on Sunday.

In addition, Go Racing have Rip Into Ghia in the Desert Gold Stakes at Wellington and What A Diva in the Karaka Stayers Cup at Ellerslie.

Hasahalo and Sophie’s Choice were among 15 yearlings that the company bought last summer and will attempt to match Ruud Awakening, who won the 2013 Karaka Million in the same colours.

“We have to be excited about having two Karaka Million runners,” Go Racing’s Albert Bosma said yesterday. “It’s a hard race to get them to and we’ve only had three runners before. The horses have to shape up physically and mentally to get there.”

Hasahalo, a filly who cost $110,000 as a yearling from the Waikato Stud draft, was syndicated into 13 shares, spread among 20 shareholders.

“Quite a few of them are first-time owners,” Bosma said. “There are about five or six surgeons involved, from Auckland and Wellington, and there’s a whole crew coming up from Invercargill.”

Sam Spratt has ridden Hasahalo in her three races and two trials, but Sydney jockey Blake Shinn has the mount on Sunday.

“That was our decision,” Bosma said. “This is our business and it was a business decision. It’s a $1 million race and Blake is a top international rider and has ridden for us before.

“Sam has taken it very well and rode the filly in her final gallop this morning and the syndicate will look after her if the filly does win.”

Sophie’s Choice, who is still a maiden, drifted to $35 after drawing wide.