Doiknowyou looking first-class
Ben Ropiha was happy enough with Doiknowyou’s second to Nashville in last Saturday’s $100,000 Winter Cup (1600m).
But the Te Awamutu trainer reckons he’s a mug because events this week are telling him the horse will prove on Saturday that he’s peaked a week too late.
‘‘He’s done a whole lot better for the run last week,’’ Ropiha said. ‘‘I think I might have peaked him a week too late but I couldn’t have asked any more of him last Saturday.
‘‘He went super - we tried to get a break on Nashville but he’s such a top horse and was just too good for us.’’
Nashville ($3.80) is down to oppose Doiknowyou ($3.50) in the $40,000 Winter Classic (1800m) but the word around Riccarton is the 9-year-old with earnings approaching $1 million will instead run in the $40,000 open 1400m event.
‘‘That helps us,’’ Ropiha said. ‘‘It’s also a blessing that we drop 2.5kg in weight and Lisa [jockey Lisa Allpress] sticks with him and that works in our favour.’’
Often the bridesmaid Doiknowyou has finished second 12 times in his career which is out of whack with just four wins - and unlucky in a number of runs, Ropiha goes into Saturday’s race full of confidence.
‘‘He looks like the horse to beat,’’ he said.
‘‘They’ll have to be good to beat him, he’s done so well through the week and I’ve had to keep the work right up to him.’’
Victory last weekend would have easily been the biggest in the young trainer’s career but consolation this Saturday will be up with his best and may encourage a return south for the New Zealand Cup carnival in November.
Safely through the Winter Classic, Ropiha will head home to prepare the star of his six-horse team for the Mitchelson Cup (2200m) in September followed by the Egmont Cup (2100m) in October before confirming a return to Riccarton.
‘‘He’ll have a nice break at breeder and part-owner Jenny Hobson’s farm and then come back for those races,’’ Ropiha said.
Hobson is part of the ownership syndicate which includes friends and family including the trainer’s mother and father.