Riccarton trainer Lance Robinson can expect his phone to start ringing.
A lot.
His talented galloper, Boots `N' All, breezed past his open 1600m handicap opponents to win for rider Jacob Lowry at Wingatui on Saturday.
Lowry and the Robinson-trained galloper are an unbeaten combination, but that will not continue next month.
Robinson has April's listed Easter Cup (1600m) and the group 3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) at Riccarton in mind for the horse.
Those two races were won by Tommy Tucker last year and trainers Brian and Shane Anderton plan on lining him up in them again.
That puts Lowry in the tricky position of having the regular ride on the two leading lights for both races.
But choosing between the pair is not going to be a hard decision as he has no plans to get off old mate Tommy Tucker.
``We have been open about it the whole way through, Lance is happy to have me on when he can get me but I don't think it is going to be hard for him to find another top-quality rider,'' Lowry said.
That news should result in jockeys lining up to snare the available ride on Boots `N' All.
Although there are four years between Tommy Tucker and Boots `N' All, they are comparable, Lowry said.
``Very much so. They are both similar sizes and they both have a very very good will to win.''
``In the older class of horses they are definitely one and two in the South Island in my opinion and after the two races at Riccarton we probably have a better idea of who is the best one.''
Tommy Tucker is a rugged performer well used to carrying big weights compared to his rivals, while Boots `N' All has only recently found himself at the top of the handicaps.
How he handles carrying bigger imposts on a regular basis will be important, Lowry said.
``Obviously, Tommy is proven and has had a few seasons carrying top weights.''
``Its up to Boots `N' All now that he is up in the weights, rather than being down getting a 7kg weight pull.''
Boots `N' All handled carrying 60kg impressively on Saturday, although his rider did notice the horse took longer to wind into his work.
``It probably took its toll a wee bit. He took a while to get through his gears, but when he got to that top bend he ran through the line pretty well and he did it with a bit in hand.
``He is not that big a horse so the weight would have an effect.''
Boots `N' All also showed he has added versatility to his red-hot form.
Lowry settled him much further back off the speed than he did in his previous two rides on Boots `N' All.
But the result was the same.
``He is a pretty good horse. When you're riding a horse of that calibre you can ride him a bit quieter and know he can still get the job done.''
