Ladies First home first
A long-term plan was executed to perfection at Awapuni where the lightly-tried Ladies First made a perfect open class debut in the Listed James Bull Rangitikei Gold Cup.
Allan Sharrock had Saturday’s race in mind for the mare before she commenced her current campaign and the New Plymouth trainer understandably gained great satisfaction from the mare’s performance.
‘‘That was well-orchestrated you could say,’’ Sharrock said.
‘‘It’s always nice when a plan comes of - get in on the minimum and get some black type.’’
Sporting headgear for the first time, Ladies First travelled comfortably three wide with cover under Lisa Allpress and she strode to the front 250 metres from home.
‘‘The blinkers were always going to go on for this Listed race,’’ Sharrock said.
‘‘She’s a very tidy mare and the owners want to win the Wanganui Cup, she’s strong at the end of a mile so the 2000 metres will hold no fears for her.’’
A daughter of Dylan Thomas and Group III winner Just Polite, Ladies First has now won five of her nine starts.
Her stake earnings of just under $88,000 represents a good return on her Karaka purchase price of just $8000.
Last-start Listed Manawatu Anzac 1550 winner Slimline came home well from the tail of the field to take second money and Zorrali finished third.
Front-runner Prince Mambo held on for fourth ahead of the topweight Nashville.
Meanwhile, up at Te Rapa, a courageous Galaxy Miss denied a perfect send off at Te Rapa for an Australian Group I hope. RACE IMAGES
The Tavistock mare made the most of her weight relief in the Norris Ward McKinnon Handicap on Saturday to get the better of the topweight Seventh Up, who remains in the mix for the $A1.5 million Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on June 10.
‘‘He’s jumped up in the weights and in these conditions it negates his turn of foot,’’ Seventh Up’s cobreeder, part-owner and trainer Shelley Hale said.
‘‘There’s a plane next Friday and if I’m happy with him he’ll be on it.’’
A last-start winner of the Group II Easter Stakes, Seventh Up settled back and came home strongly, but was unable to run down Galaxy Miss, who was six kilos better off in the weights.
Galaxy Miss was making her open class debut after winning for the fifth time at her previous appearance on the course in rating 85 company.
Ridden by Danielle Johnson, Galaxy Miss raced in second spot and one off the fence before making her winning claim soon after straightening.
‘‘She was great and she loves a fight,’’ trainer Danica Guy said.
‘‘I might ease up on her now, there are good things in store.
‘‘I’ll have a look around, but my preference is to look after her and give her a little break.’’
Johnson said Galaxy Miss coped well with the slow 7 going.
‘‘It was a tough effort, I thought at the top of the straight that there wasn’t much petrol in the tank, but she fought hard when the favourite came at her.
‘‘She got through the conditions well.’’