WEEKEND RACES
NATHAN EXELBY A TREK to New Zealand two years ago that emanated out of success in the Roma Cup could prove the catalyst for Darling Downs trainer Matt Kropp having his greatest success in racing.
Kropp’s promising colt Trusty Lad continues his longterm path to the Queensland Derby when he runs over the mile at Doomben today.
The son of Reliable Man was an impressive winner over the Doomben mile in August, before turning in an eye-catching effort at $101 first up earlier this month.
Trusty Lad will continue through the Eagle Way series, which goes to 2000m in a fortnight, before the final over a similar trip on December 22.
Kropp gave $NZ180,000 for Trusty Lad at last year’s New Zealand Ready to Run Sale on behalf of owners Roland and Sharon Hovey.
His first trip to that sale came 12 months earlier off the back of Spice Of Life winning the Roma Cup for the Hoveys.
Kropp picked out a son of Roc De Cambes, which cost $46,000 and was given a name to commemorate the occasion.
“They called him Romakash, which is the first two letters of the names of Roland, myself, my wife Kate and Shar- on,” Kropp said. “Sharon said ‘we’re going to New Zealand with the Roma cash’ and thought it was an appropriate name.”
Romakash won his second start at the Gold Coast and Kropp returned to the NZB Ready to Run Sale for a second time in November 2017, this time upping the ante.
“Reliable Man (winner of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes) looked like he was doing a good job and we saw a few of them that we really liked,” he said.
“They sold up to $310,000, but fortunately we were able to get this fellow and another filly by the stallion.
“Trusty Lad’s breeze up was good, the time was fair and the dam side was pretty good, being from the family of (former Champion 2&3YO) Encounter.
“I was keen to go back again this year, but I already had enough on.”
Both cost $180,000, with the filly, now named She Likes A Drink, as yet unraced.
Kropp just wants to see some speed on today to give Trusty Lad his chance, as he’s likely to be near last in the run.
“He’s definitely bigger and stronger now. I think the spell came at the right time. How far we go into the Eagle Way Series depends on how hot it gets, but the long term goal is the (Queensland) Derby,” he said.