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Long road for Vile duo;Tappy’s One secures Karaka Million spot;Rondinella too good at Tauranga;80th stakes win for Pins;Moore camp happy with Beauty Generation’s final Stewards’ Cup gallop
Long road for Vile duo
Awapuni gallopers Jacksstar and Rock On have been on the road to recovery after tendon issues in the last couple of years and trainer Gary Vile is hoping his patience with the pair pays off at Trentham on Saturday.
The stablemates will line-up in the Gr.3 NZ Campus of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) and Vile said it has been a long process getting both runners back to their best.
“When a horse breaks down you have to be governed by your vets I think,” he said. “I've got very good vets in Tim Pearce and John O'Brien.
“We went through a process with Jacksstar with stem cells. He broke down in the Auckland Cup (Gr.1, 3200m) and tore all the main ligaments in his leg.
“He's been a real work in progress because he's had to grow a whole new tendon. Through the vets hard work and the owners' patience we've got him back.”
Rock On suffered a similar setback before the Wellington Cup last year.
“Rock On did a flexor tendon last year a week before the Cup and that was really hard to handle, because he was ready to go and he was weighted right at 53kg. it just meant box rest and paddock rest and bringing him back very slowly.
“It's been 22 months in the making, they're both St Leger (Listed, 2500m) winners so they deserve their crack at two miles.”
Vile is confident of a good showing from the pair, but can’t separate them heading into the Wellington feature.
“Yeah I think they can (win), which one I don't know,” he said. “I'd love to dead heat it.”
Tappy’s One secures Karaka Million spot
The Stephen McKee-trained Tappy’s One has secured his spot in next Saturday’s Listed Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie after taking out the Matamata Veterinary Services 2YO (1200m) at Tauranga on Friday.
The win was the first for Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir as a sire and it also elevated Tappy’s One into the top 14 for the rich two-year-old race and his connections were thrilled with the fresh-up victory.
“It was a good win, very impressive. After a little bit of a let-up he has certainly shown a bit of toe,” stable representative Matthew Faber said.
“He has worked alright during the week, so we thought he was half a chance, but the tracks are getting a bit firm for him.
“We’ll see how he comes through this before we push any buttons on that one (Karaka Million), but fingers-crossed.”
too good at Tauranga
The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Rondinella was sent out a $2 short-priced favourite by punters in the Willie Vermeulen at Crockfords of Greerton Handicap (2100m) at Tauranga on Friday and won accordingly, beating Gold Spice by 2-1/4 lengths.
“I publicly labelled this mare a year ago and we have had our little problems with her, but hopefully they are all behind us,” James said.
“In retrospect it hasn’t been a bad thing because she’s about four inches higher than she was this time last year. She’s a big mare and I think she has got it all ahead of her.”
While James believes his mare is capable of stepping up to Group company, he will take a cautious approach with her.
“I have no doubt she is up to a good Group race over this sort of trip at some stage of her career,” James said. “But she is just reaching maturity and we’ll probably just step her another one through the grades before we make any rash decisions.”
80th stakes win for Pins
Deceased Waikato Stud stallion recorded his 80th stakes win as a sire on Thursday when Sir Plush took out the Listed Gosford Cup (2100m).
The Bjorn Baker-trained runner was having his first start beyond a mile and jockey Glyn Schofield kept him comfortable before unleashing him in the final stages to claim Satono Rasen by a half head.
“I got a lovely run and the speed was on,” Schofield said. “I just wanted to put him to sleep to make sure he would run the trip and when the pressure came on at about the 600m, I didn’t want to go at that stage. “
I wanted to bide my time on a horse having his first go at the trip and he did it well.”
Pins will be represented by 27 yearlings across Books 1,2 and 3 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Yearling Sale at Karaka later this month.
Moore camp happy with Beauty Generation’s final Stewards’ Cup gallop
Trainer John Moore is happy with his star New Zealand-bred galloper Beauty Generation ahead of his tilt at the Gr.1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) on Sunday.
“It’s the first time Romain (Clavreul), who rides him every morning, has been on him out on the grass and he just said he felt amazing,” Moore said.
“He said he doesn't know where he gets all this energy from, the horse just feels so good. He loves what he’s doing, he’s thriving and maybe getting better, he’s such a competitor.”
“He’s going into the race in perfect shape, if not better than he’s ever been. He’s relaxed in his work, he’s a happy horse and we couldn't be happier.”
Beauty Generation was purchased out of Highden Park’s 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale draft for NZ$60,000.
He raced as Montaigne in Australia for trainer Anthony Cummings, where he was runner-up in the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m), before being sold to Hong Kong where he has subsequently won four Group One races and was crowned Hong Kong Horse of the Year last season.
Cambridge stud launches horse passport
Cambridge Stud has launched a comprehensive yearling information service called Horse Passport on its new website www.cambridgestud.co.nz.
“The importance of this passport is that not only does it enable complete transparency, but it also makes life a lot easier for potential buyers through having all the information they need in one place,” Cambridge Stud chief executive Henry Plumptre said.
“Buyers can go to our website and find information on each yearling such as current owner, breeder, horse history, a custom research pedigree that Cambridge Stud has commissioned from Arion Pedigrees, photos, videos and pedigree updates, along with x-ray and scope reports by highly respected veterinarians Rob Hitchcock and Chris Lawler.
“Our goal quite simply is to enable buyers to buy from Cambridge Stud with confidence.”
The merits of this innovative template were quickly appreciated by Cambridge Stud’s new owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay.
“Our 2019 Book One draft is our very first yearling consignment as the owners of Cambridge Stud,” Lindsay said.
“It’s a new era for the stud, and improving the information access for the 56 yearlings we are offering is very much an innovation we wish to adopt.”
