Smedley goes back-to-back
A wet and drizzly Ruakaka day saw the track downgraded from dead to slow as the races progressed playing right into the hands of Saturday’s Whangarei Cup winner.
The versatile Waipu campaigner Smedley likes a bit of give in the ground and that’s all the 8-year-old needed to get the edge over Kaharau in a great finish to the $30,000 feature.
Trainer and part-owner Clayton Stevenson who shares ownership with his mother Claire and late father Dick Stevenson’s estate, never gets tired of turning up at the races with the Colombia gelding and winning races.
The horse bred by his father who was the initial owner and trainer before his untimely death, has been to the races 92 times and Saturday’s back-to-back Whangarei Cup win was his tenth.
He’s now won around $220,000 and is a special horse for the Stevenson family.
Dick Stevenson won the Whangarei Cup with Letsgoparty in 2008 and sourced and purchased her dam Party Jet and bred Smedley from her.
‘‘Dad always liked this family,’’ Stevenson junior said. ‘‘And he liked Smedley.’’
Apprentice Jordan Nason was riding Smedley for the first time and heeded the trainer’s advice to never-say-die.
‘‘He [Smedley] always gets his second wind and keeps coming,’’ Stevenson said. ‘‘It was a good ride, Jason listened and never gave up.’’
That despite the young jockey losing an iron as the battle gained momentum in the straight, it made his job more difficult but he got it done.
When the Kenny and Lisa raetrained Kaharau burst on the scene the win looked his.
But in his undeniable way, Smedley wore him down to snatch victory at double figure odds right on the line.
Zafrenzy from the Logan and Gibbs stable battled into third to complete a trifecta for Northland stables.
Chachar put herself in the reckoning for black-type races with a quality performance in a Rating 85 sprint on the card.
Cambridge trainer Tony Pike almost scored the quinella in the race with the Lee Somervell runner Stradivarius splitting Chachar and her stablemate Hollywood Lass in the finish.
Jockey Vinnie Colgan had the winner in a good spot behind a TRISH DUNELL solid speed set by Rich Billie Marsh and found the run he needed to push the Thorn Park mare to victory in an exciting drive to the line.
‘‘I was really impressed with her,’’ Pike said. ‘‘She trialled well and has always been a good mare fresh.’’
Chachar was having her first run since January and was winning for the fifth time.
‘‘She hasn’t been far off the best sprinters and this looked a nice race for her with a light weight,’’ Pike said. ‘‘It’s a good return from her and she will probably progress through to stakes company at some stage of this campaign.’’
Pike thinks a win is close for the third placed runner.
‘‘Hollywood Lass went great on a track wetter [Slow8] than she needs,’’ he said. ‘‘She should pick up a race fairly quickly.’’
Impressive Rating 65 sprint winner Money Trail trained by Brendon Hawtin will go for a break and return for spring racing. JOCKEY Matthew Cameron came close to missing a plum ride on his return from an overseas holiday.
The top jockey was one of many racegoers heading north for yesterday’s Ruakaka races who became stuck in traffic when a slip partially blocked the road.
Fortunately he got the gap he needed in the traffic jam and arrived on course in time to throw his leg over the short-priced favourite in race one for the local Logan and Gibbs stable.
He arrived in his gear after changing in the car and was ready to go.
The aptly named Not Usual Trip gave Cameron a much more comfortable ride than his road trip and the son of Stryker careered away for the easiest of wins.
‘‘He’s a top horse and the best in the field,’’ Cameron said. ‘‘He’s come up really well.’’
Trainers Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs have big targets in mind for the colt owned by one of the stable’s Chinese clients, HSF Bloodstock.
‘‘We’ve got a bit of time for him,’’ Logan said. ‘‘That’s why we’ve run him in some good company before this.
‘‘I was questioning whether the 1000 would be too short for him but he’s won so well.’’
The Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) back at Ruakaka on September 16 could be used as pipe-opener for 3-year-old classic races.
Not Usual Trip was strongly supported, one $3,000 bet at $1.95 was the last at those odds as he tightened to $1.70 at the jump.
Second home with a promising debut was pacemaker Bucky and Contessa Vanessa ran on well for third.
The TAB held in excess of 100 bets at $101 on the Logan and Gibbs stable scoring a clean sweep of the seven race card and punters were on good terms with themselves when Dancing Light kept hopes alive winning the second.
Ridden by Chris Johnson the Singapore-owned Darci Brahma mare was a comfortable winner at a short $1.60 when betting closed.
That’s where it ended for punters with Tony Pike’s Chachar winning the third but that shouldn’t be where the winning run ends for Dancing Light.
‘‘Chris made the most of her draw,’’ Logan said. ‘‘She won well and I really rate her.’’
Outsiders Miacoca and Lowrider filled the minor placings.
‘ He [Smedley] always gets his second wind and keeps coming. It was a good ride, Jason listened and never gave up.’ CLAYTON STEVENSON