Nigel McGrath had an awkward decision to make with Nero Star before his debut at Addington tonight.
But he thinks taking the 2yr-old out of the regular barrier draw could give the colt a hand when he tackles a tidy field over 2600m.
The son of Gotta Go Cullen is not lacking in size, but that attribute is also causing him problems when the field has been called up behind the mobile barrier at the trials.
''He's just been a bit unruly at the trials, and he's galloped in the score-up in one or two of his trials,'' McGrath said.
''I've put him on the unruly which will make a bit of a difference, but it's quite a good maiden field.''
Indeed, Nero Star will give away metres at the start to the likes of Bracken Ridge, who nabbed Nero Star with a late run at the Ashburton trials on July 8, and the Cran Dalgety-trained Bettor Me.
''He needs to be on [the unruly] at this stage, but the 2600m will help,'' McGrath said.
''I'm pleased with him - he's a horse with lot of ability. He'll win races but it is tough off the unruly.''
Nero Star's size also had a part to play in his racing career starting late in his 2yr-old season.
The half-brother to Deimos (six New Zealand wins) and Smiling Star (eight wins) did not hit the workouts until early June.
''He's another big horse which is why he's kicking off now. We'll give him a couple of runs and turn him out again.''
McGrath's other runner tonight is a first starter from a family he has encountered plenty of times in the past.
Nicky's Ideal traces back to her second dam, Nicky's Dream, with many of the horses with the Nicky's moniker appearing in McGrath's colours of royal blue with a white star and white cuffs.
''I've trained a lot of those horses for the owner and breeder, Paul Renwick, and really they've all taken a bit of time. Hence why this one's taken a bit of time,'' McGrath said.
''But she's a big lovely filly and she probably will benefit from one or two runs. She'll win a couple of races.''
Nicky's Ideal qualified in style at Rangiora on June 30, improving from near-last with a lap to go to run down Madam X. Her last run at the trials resulted in a third behind Contractual Issues on July 14.
''She got skittled a couple of times in that run. She's done enough trialling now, so it's about time she went to the races and did something.''
