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Sydney beckons topweight; Werther tipped as top Derby hope; Goldminer returns;

Sydney beckons topweight

Addictive Habit only needs to be doing his best work late in Saturday’s open handicap at Te Rapa to confirm his trip to The Championships.

The 1200 metre dash, in which he will shoulder 64.5kg, will serve as his lead-up to the $A3 million Gr.1 Doncaster Handicap on April 2.

“As long as he’s running on well he’ll go to Sydney,” trainer Lee Somervell said. “He needs another good hit-out, he won a trial two weeks ago but it was too easy.

“Derek Nolan will ride him so he doesn’t have to carry a lot of dead weight.”

Werther tipped as top Derby hope

Leading trainer John Moore believes the New Zealand-bred Werther is his best hope of a fifth win in Sunday’s Gr.1 Hong Kong Derby.

He has previously won the feature with Designs On Rome (2014), Collection (2009), Viva Pataca (2006) and Makarpura Star (1995).

Werther was a first-up winner in Hong Kong in December and has since finished runner-up to the John Size-trained Sun Jewellery in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Classic Mile and the Gr.1 Hong Kong Classic Cup.

“Werther’s got the form on the board and he’ll be getting to the line even stronger than he was in the last few races,” said Moore, whose Derby quartet is completed by Savabeel’s son Victory Magic and the European imports Helene Paragon and White Magic.

Goldminer returns

Goldminer will make an unexpected return to the racetrack in Saturday's Team Wealleans 1200 at Te Rapa.

Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie revealed the Gold Mine eight-year-old had failed to get in foal, hence her return to training.

She won a trial at Cambridge last month by four lengths, but Ritchie said he expected her to need the race on Saturday.

"She certainly hasn't lost her turn of foot but she hasn't raced for a long time and she'll need the run. She's won nine races and it would be nice to get that 10th win for her. It would look good on her CV.”