Gravano delivers on rain-soaked track

‘‘He (Gravano) will be one to watch over the Auckland Cup carnival which kicks off in two weeks with the million dollar Vodafone Derby on March 4.’’

The only race meeting in our region was the Auckland Racing Club’s meeting at racing headquarters at Ellerslie on Saturday, where two local winners were produced.

Byerley Park trainers Peter and Dawn Williams lined up Ellerslie specialist Gravano on a rain-soaked track and he didn’t let them down, winning the 1500 metre open handicap.

Ridden by Dani Prastiyou, the four-year-old son of little known sire Roc de Cambes settled off the pace and came with a well-timed run to win by a head.

Gravano has now had 14 starts and has won on five occasions each time at Ellerslie. He will be one to watch over the Auckland Cup carnival which kicks off in two weeks with the million dollar Vodafone Derby on March 4.

Another to watch over the Cup carnival will be The Dom who also won on Saturday. Trained by team Rogers at Pukekohe Park, the lightly raced four-year-old gelding was racing fresh up over 1200 metres.

In the hands of Sam Spratt, who gave the horse a copybookride settling in the trail and kicking clear in the straight, he prevailed by a head despite a strong challenge from highly rated Tony Pike gelding Fast and Famous who was ridden by Leith Innes, and his stablemate Bold Bachelor was a long neck away in third.

The Dom is by the hot Westbury Stud stallion Swiss Ace out of the Stravinsky mare Joiya, making her a half-sister to the two-year-old stakes winning filly Niki Piki Milo.

Also at Ellerslie Innes riding again for Tony Pike scored on Sin To Win in a rating 75 1600 metre event.

Sunday’s races were at the Poverty Bay Turf Club in Gis- borne, where a couple of local trainers attended.

Locally Sauced, a five-year-old Iffraaj gelding, was rewarded with a win in a rating 65 2000 metre race at Poverty Bay.

He is trained at Waiuku by Grant and Tana Shaw who are campaigning horses on the East Coast with fellow trainers Sean Cameron and Shaun and Emma Clotworthy.