Ellerslie

A group of young university friends, led by Josh Herd, are set to contest New Zealand's richest two-year-old race with their bargain purchase, Midnight Dart. The Lisa Latta-trained colt, acquired for $20,000, won on debut and now faces long odds in the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions at Ellerslie on Saturday. With around 75 owners mostly under 30, the syndicate embodies a fresh wave of enthusiasm in horse racing.