Racing: Include after Guineas double

Include and Courtney Barnes look hard to beat in the Southland Guineas at Ascot Park tomorrow....
Include and Courtney Barnes look hard to beat in the Southland Guineas at Ascot Park tomorrow. Photo by Matt Smith.
Include will go for a bottom-of-the-South February Guineas sweep at Invercargill tomorrow before attempting to bag a national prize.

The 3yr-old filly had an impressive win in the Dunedin Guineas (1400m) at the start of the month and will line up in the listed Southland Guineas at Ascot Park tomorrow.

Trainers Shane and Brian Anderton have been carefully watching Include since the win at Wingatui and it appears to be paying dividends.

''If anything, she has improved since then. The biggest problem for us down there is the barrier she has drawn,'' Shane Anderton said.

''She is on the outside of the draw and it is only over a mile, so that is going to be tough.''

Include could not be further out than gate 14 and, with the tight track, will have to go right from the gate to be in contention.

Anderton said every horse would be a chance in the race, especially over the 1600m distance.

Much would depend on Include's speed out of the gate and on getting handy enough to mount a challenge.

If she does well tomorrow at Invercargill, then the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on March 15 is the aim for the Andertons.

''That is the aim, though we might look at aiming for a 2000m race somewhere so she can get tuned up for the Oaks.''

It will be a step up if Include gets to Trentham but it is one Shane Anderton is confident she will be able to handle, although he is not looking too far ahead.

''We have to get Saturday out of the way first. She has been down that way a couple of times, been to Winton before and handled it all right.

''She does not seem to be bothered by the course really and where she goes. She just takes it in her stride.''

Include had one failure in Southland, running eighth in the Gore Guineas after she got stuck behind a slower runner.

Include is owned and bred by Anderton's sister and brother-in-law, Karen and Wayne Stewart, of White Robe Lodge. Her sire, Gallant Guru, stands at White Robe Lodge.

She has won four of her six starts and should be hard to beat tomorrow in the hands of apprentice Courtney Barnes.

The best of the other chances looks to be the John and Karen Parsons-trained Southern Power, who also won at Wingatui on February 1.

Charlestown is down from Awapuni and trainer Lisa Latta should have some confidence after a last-start third behind Include in the Dunedin Guineas.

The Dennis brothers will look to 7yr-old The Bishop to win the Invercargill Gold Cup (2600m), the other feature race on the card.

Gold Leaf looks to be one his biggest threats while Our Bee Jay may be a chance on his home track.

 

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