3yrold fights for win
CANTERBURY 3yrold Express Rip showed his promise with a big win against a classy field at Wingatui yesterday.
The Neil Coulbecktrained gelding fought tenaciously down the straight for a nose victory in a sprint for 2 and 3yrolds despite being posted wide for the entire race.
‘‘He is pretty skinny and pretty weak. He will go in to the paddock — that will be his next mission,’’ Coulbeck said.
He would be prepared for 3yrold feature racing in the autumn.
‘‘I think by then he will handle a mile [1600m].
‘‘He is above average,’’
Coulbeck said.
Wingatui galloper Our Teddy Boy was another horse that produced an eyecatching victory yesterday.
The Steve Tylertrained 4yrold produced a big finish to win race 8 over 1600m.
Our Teddy Boy has had an upanddown season, but showed he was back to his best form.
‘‘There hasn’t been anything wrong with him. He has just had bad luck and he has been screaming out for a mile,’’ Tyler said.
‘‘When he is right he is hard to beat, especially in this grade [rating 65].’’
Balcairn trainers John and Karen Parsons got their Boxing Day off to a brilliant start by winning the first two races at Wingatui.
Both winners, Residential in race 1 and Superstatic in race 2, were ridden patiently by Gosen Jogoo.
The jockey sat Superstatic off a solid pace before the Super Easy filly produced a big burst of speed to score an impressive maiden win, beating the favourite, Air Max, by five lengths.
Residential was the favourite in his rating 82 1600m race. He has now won seven races and more than $176,000 in stakes.