Weather, showery; track, dead (5); rail, true position.
Race 1: Harcourts, $30,000, rating 85, 1600m
Montoya Star won in dashing style. Montoya Star, trained by Michael and Matthew Pitman and ridden by Samantha Wynne, settled third last in the 11-horse field, came to the fore inside the final 150m and won by a length and a half. Who Dares Wins finished boldly from second last for second, half a neck clear of Residential, who ran on from fifth with a length and a half to Lord Sibford, who trailed in the second line on the outer behind co-leaders Wild Jack and The Gordonian. Son Of Zac faded to fifth after racing three wide in fifth place. Montoya Star is on target for a successful return to Trentham. She won at Wingatui and Kurow in December last year before succeeding at the Wellington Cup meeting.
Horse to follow: Montoya Star.
Race 2: Speight’s, $22,500, 2 and 3yo, 1200m
Trainer Michael Pitman has the $250,000 Telegraph Handicap (1200m) at Trentham on January 20 in mind for Sensei, an impressive winner.
“I have had the Telegraph in mind for some time. Three-year-olds have a good record in that race,” said Michael Pitman. “I told Chris (Johnson) to ride him back in the field today to get him to settle.”
Sensei has also been nominated for the $225,000 Levin Classic (1600m) on the first day of the Wellington meeting. The 3yr-olds Vinaka, King’s Chapel and Keeninsky won the Telegraph between 2002 and 2005.
Sensei was keen early and Johnson settled him fifth on the outer. Sensei burst to the front inside the final 200m and he was not extended to win by two lengths. The Sparkle did well for second after sharing the early pace with Kiwi Ida, then racing handy .
Kiwi Ida ran on late for third after being held up in the trail. She trailed when The De Boy went to the front at the 900m. There was four and a half lengths to The De Boy.
Horse to follow: Sensei.
Race 3: KB Contracting Handicap, $35,000, open, 2200m
“He is a good horse the way he picked himself up with 60kg,’’said rider Chris Johnson after riding Patrick Erin to win. Patrick Erin, who settled sixth on the outer, was bumped near the 300m and held up until the 150m when Johnson angled him to the outer. Patrick Erin sprouted wings to win by three quarters of a length from Motorbike Mike, who improved from last and dashed clear at the 150m. There was three quarters of a length to Dee and Gee, who was second last in the eight-horse field for much of the way. The pacemaker Flag The Groom faded to, fourth, ahead of Nesta.
The Brian and Shane Anderton-trained Patrick Erin, winner of 10 of his 20 starts, will now head to the $250,000 Wellington Cup (3200m) on January 20 with Johnson the rider.
Horse to follow: Patrick Erin.
Race 4: Wal’s Plant Land Maiden. $10,000, 1400m
Plutonium gave Wingatui owner-trainer Jim Burns a change of fortunes with a win. Burns was discharged from hospital two days earlier after minor prostate surgery. Earlier in the year he had a cancerous kidney removed. “ Graeme Mee has helped me working the horse,” said Burns. Plutonium was having his first start for Burns, who bought the 4yr-old gelding for $2200 in September through on-line auction site Gavel House. He races the 4yr-old Swiss Ace gelding with members of his family. Samantha Wynne sent Plutonium to the front at the 1100m and she increased her lead to six lengths at the 450m. Plutonium won by two and three quarter lengths from Meru, who was fifth in the running. Mossy Creek ran on from well back for third, two lengths back with half a length to Crispin, who led out then chased the pacemaker. Yes You Did was closest at the finish in fifth place with Plowshare at the head of the others.
Terry Moseley was unseated from Troy Boy, who shied near the 200m. Moseley was stood down from his remaining engagements and sent to hospital for observation. “I have a fractured radius (arm bone). They found a hairline fracture in my wrist after two X-rays and have predicted I will be out for four to six weeks,’’ said Moseley.
Horse to follow: Mossy Creek.
Race 5: Wingatui Function Centre, $25,000, rating 75, 1400m
Disturbance won narrowly but well. Trained by Shane Kennedy and Anna Furlong and ridden by Jason Laking, Disturbance finished strongly from seventh to win by a head from Nowhere Man, who did well after racing three wide close to the pace and leading in the run home. There was a length and quarter to the pacemaker, Princess Athena with a head to All Black Magic, who raced outside the leader. Bakela, who trailed close up battled on for fifth with He’s Our Secret running on late for sixth.
Horse to follow: Nowhere Man.
Race 6: Allied Security Hazlett Stakes Handicap, $50,000, open, 1200m
Starvoia justified her favouritism when she held off the fast finishing Timy Tyler. Starvoia improved from sixth to lead near the 100m and lasted by a nose from Timy Tyler, who came from last at the 200m. Mr Typhon ran on from second last for third, three quarters of a length back with half a length to Signify, who was trapped three wide close to the pace. Carnival, who made the pace was close up fifth.
Owen Giddens, the managing part-owner of Starvoia, paid tribute to trainers John and Karen Parsons for the success of Starvoia, “She (Starvoia) broke a bone in a knee last season and she had to be boxed for several months. It was the sheer experience of John Parsons that got her back,’’ said Giddens. The Parsons stable has also won the Hazlett Stakes with Final Touch (2011), Argentina (1998) and Seamist (1990), all mares. Final Touch carried on the win the Telegraph Handicap 13 months later, a race on the programme for Starvoia.
Horse to follow: Timy Tyler.
Race 7: Otago Packaging Supplies, $22,500, rating 65, 1200m
Queen Jetsun staged a big run from back in the field to win. Queen Jetsun(Kylie Williams) had won her previous start Cromwell for trainers Tony and Lyn Prendergast and owner G Munro. Queen Jetsun was well back until the 400m and she outfinished the favourite Zakynthos by a neck. Zakynthos reached the front inside the 200m after racing close up on the outer. Galway Garry was a powerful finisher from well back for third, a length and a quarter back, shading Zabay and Strowan. Zabay was doing good work at the finish from beyond mid-field and Strowan made the pace.
Horse to follow: Galway Garry.
Race 8: McCraw Farrier, $22,500, rating 65, 1600m
Teddytwinkletoes prevailed in a close finish in a race marred by two horses losing their riders near the 350m. Teddytwinkletoes, ridden by Kin Kwo for Riverton owner-trainer Andrea Dickson, came from mid-field and took the decision by a nose from Road To Redemption, who improved from eighth to lead short of the line.
Kilowatt was half a length back third after racing close up on the outer. There was a length to Countess Ruby, who came from the tail of the field. Miss Tuscan made ground for fifth, ahead of Jakob Gambino and Slammer,who had his chance. The favourite Prince Ransom dropped out to eleventh after disputing the pace with Hot Fuss and Majic El. Queen Serene clipped the heel of another horse when in cramped quarters near the 350m and dislodged rider Krish Gundowry. The riderless Queen Serene caused Tenfold to lose rider Gosen Jogoo. The riders were not injured.
Horse to follow: Countess Ruby.