3 minute read

Regally-bred filly surprises at Rotorua; Hard pressed to beat Shamexpress colt;

Regally-bred filly surprises at Rotorua

The Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie-trained Aloft  showed plenty of her potential when winning on debut at Arawa Park on Wednesday.

The three-year-old daughter of Atlante settled to the rear of the field for jockey Danielle Johnson after jumping away from her outside barrier in the eight horse field.

Johnson improved Aloft four-wide at the top of the straight and timed her run to perfection to grab Call Me Evie on the line to win the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1250m) by a nose.

"Talking with the team beforehand, I was always going to ride her back and I have had a good drag into it," Johnson said.

"She has run pretty well considering she did a bit wrong."

The half-sister to dual Group Three winner Eleanora and dual Group Two winner Supera surprised her connections with the winning result.

"We know she has got a lot of ability, she was just here for a day out and a bit of experience," Ritchie said.

"She has done all of this on her first prep, so it is pleasantly surprising."

Ritchie and Ramsay were pleased with Aloft's two trials in the lead-up to Wednesday, which gave them the confidence to press on to race day with the filly.

"Her trials have been very good and we do have a lot of time for her," Ritchie said. "We were really happy with her trials and thought we would roll the dice and give her a run.

"She is definitely going to be a better horse in the autumn, but I am really rapt with what she has done today."

Hard pressed to beat Shamexpress colt

New Zealand-bred galloper Hard Press made it back-to-back wins when successful at Sandown on Wednesday over 1000m.

It was just the third start for the Shamexpress colt who was lumbered with 60kg in Wednesday's race.

"I just thought at 1000m they might be a bit sharp, but he surprised us and put himself there," trainer Richard Laming said.

"He did a good job and had a big weight. He fought it out well and is going to improve a lot off that.

"There was a little bit of a rap on the second horse, so it was no easy assignment.

"Ben (Melham, jockey) was very confident and he only asked him to quicken in the last furlong, but he still did it very well."

Laming is looking forward to the future with the Windsor Park Stud bred three-year-old who he said still has plenty of maturing to do.

"He is very quiet for a colt, he doesn't even know he is one I think. He has got good mannerisms, he has got a lot to come yet. He is still immature and his coat hasn't come out. There is plenty of upside, that is for sure."