Australia’s representative Hardline has drawn worse than midfield in New Zealand’s richest race, the $1 million Karaka Million at Ellerslie.
The sales-related race for two-year-olds on Sunday has a capacity field of 14 plus three emergencies with the Liam Birchley-trained Hardline to start from barrier 11.
Favourite Maritimo, from the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson stable, has drawn gate eight.
Damian Browne will ride Hardline as the Brisbane trainer attempts his second win in the race.
Birchley won with Sister Havana in 2010, a year after Sarge In Charge ran a close second.
Sydney jockeys Hugh Bowman, James McDonald, Jason Collett and Tommy Berry will all make the trip across the Tasman for the meeting.
Bowman will be aboard Gotham while Berry will ride Bella Court.
Collett will ride Selfie for his father Richard while fellow ex-pat McDonald will be on Strata Lady.
The race is for graduates of the 2014 January Sale at Karaka with the premier session of this year’s auction to be held on Monday and Tuesday.
Among the features on the first day will be the sale of the last colt by champion sire Zabeel who was retired from stud duties after the 2013 season.
The colt will be led into the ring by Cambridge Stud proprietor Sir Patrick Hogan who began the dynasty when he imported Zabeel’s sire Sir Tristram to New Zealand.
