Tyler again eyes winter double
TOMORROW Palmerston North dogs. TUESDAY Christchurch dogs, Forbury Park dogs. WEDNESDAY Rotorua gallops, Whanganui dogs. THURSDAY Otago gallops, NZ Metro trots, Waikato dogs, Christchurch dogs. FRIDAY Waverley gallops, Auckland trots, Forbury Park trots, Whanganui dogs, Christchurch dogs. SATURDAY Waikato gallops, Hawke’s Bay gallops. EXPERT TIPS AUCKLAND – Tim Ryan MODERATION: Talented galloper, chance on home track on Sunday. LORD BENTLEY: Coming into his own on wet tracks. GOOSEBUMPS: Getting close to a winning turn. WAIKATO – Ross Fisher LATE DECISION: Desperately unlucky at Ruakaka. Hopefully gets his turn next time. TRANKY DOO: Consistent winter galloper that has more to come. GATA: Blinkers appeared to help her Avondale performance. Success is close. CENTRAL DISTRICTS – Paul Gueorgieff SANAJARA: Unplaced in open company at Awapuni last weekend but can bounce back in her own grade. GWYNETHANNE: Winner of more than $125,000 who was a solid third at Awapuni last weekend; approaching winning form. DE GAULLE: Battled well for fifth at Awapuni after being held up early in the home straight. CANTERBURY – Mat Kermeen FLYING SARDINE: Flew home late for second on debut at Oamaru and will not be a maiden for long. FRANCO CRISTIANO: Whether he backs up today at Blenheim or starts at Addington he should be winning his next start. PASSIVITY: Set to break maiden ranks at Waipa today. OTAGO-SOUTHLAND – Jamie Searle IDEAL DENARIO: Back and wide turning for home and kept coming for seventh at Forbury Park in first race for four and a half months. GRACE LIGHTNING: Also ran on from the back for seventh at Forbury Park. THEMAILMAN: Eye-catching sixth in cramped quarters at Forbury Park. GREYHOUNDS – Peter Earley GOOD RETURN: Slow beginnings are costly for this bloke, was charging to the line on Thursday, value in the sixth today. SPOTTED FLYER: Forget Cambridge run on Thursday, give another chance in the eighth today at Auckland. VIDEO WATCH – Murray Wedlake FLYING SARDINE: Made up many lengths in the Oamaru straight and would have won in another couple of strides. LATE DECISION: Finished about a length and a half from the winner at Ruakaka after struggling for room in the run home. GREENCAST: Was forced over a lot of ground when looking to improve from the rear on the final bend at Ruakaka. Kelvin Tyler is not the big-noting type but even he is struggling to muzzle himself from hyping up Lochan Ora.
The lightly tried four-year-old put his Winter Cup rivals on notice with a two and a half length win, that could not have been more impressive, in the Greenwood Amberley Cup on a heavy 10 at Riccarton yesterday.
Tyler won the race last year with Timy Tyler, who went on to win the $100,000 Winter Cup.
Yesterday’s win was Lochan Ora’s third in a row and his sixth from his last seven starts but his first attempt at an open handicap.
He won his maiden race in March and Tyler puts the success of his current preparation down to maturity and the addition of the blinkers just before his maiden win.
The Riverton trainer was not keen to make comparisons to Timy Tyler, who will be back to defend his Winter Cup crown on August 6 but concedes Lochan Ora could be good enough to match his stablemate’s cup double if things go his way. A dismally wet day failed to dampen the elation of Katie McKeen’s massive win for owners Gary and Valda McBeth in the Kiwifruit Cup at Tauranga yesterday.
The win was the highlight of their Keeninsky mare’s career moulded by Gary McBeth’s training skills of the horse he bred from humble heritage.
With McBeth’s blessing, jockey Robbie ‘‘The Pope’’ Hannam took the Cup by the scruff of the neck 800m from home.
The experienced Hannam made his move from just behind the speed, and with a rail-hugging ride put a break on the opposition.
Some scouted to the outside rail but Hannam had his tactics spot on and the
‘‘I guess the way he’s been going you can’t fault him,’’ Tyler said.
‘‘All he has been doing is winning and winning by four or five lengths New Plymouth mare scampered clear by an everincreasing 13-lengths.
Early pacemaker St Saturnin rallied strongly for second ahead of Celebrity Miss.
McBeth had no concerns about the heavy conditions as his tough 6-year-old mare ‘‘is as fit as I think I’ve ever had her’’.
‘‘She’s about 20kg lighter than last year and is racing better.’’
McBeth will push on to the Taumarunui Cup (2200m) on July 30. every time. First time in open class there was always going to be a question mark but he didn’t just win did he?’’
Meanwhile, Southland visitor Bruce
‘‘I wish it was at Te Rapa where she’s raced so well before,’’ he said. ‘‘But this year it’s at Rotorua but we will still give it a crack.’’
In the meantime she may be at Te Rapa next week if there’s a suitable race.
‘‘If she’s good in the next few days we’ll look for a race on the back-up. She didn’t just win today, she killed them. Look Robbie knows her so well, I thought he had gone too soon but he was adamant he had plenty of horse under him the whole way.’’
Hannam has been associated with Katie McKeen in a number of races.
‘‘She just travelled beautifully the whole way,’’ Hannam said.
‘‘She travelled easily and just bolted in on the ground.’’ Tapper is already planning another long trek up to Riccarton with evergreen sprinter The Knight.
The rising nine-year-old was an upset winner in a $30,000 sprint yesterday at $21 on the tote.
‘‘I couldn’t believe he was the second outsider,’’ Tapper said.
Tapper, who trains at Otautau in Southland, plans to contest a $40,000 open handicap over 1200m on the opening day of the Grand National Carnival.
The Knight beat a handy field in Winton at his last start on May 15 and Tapper hinted at a similar break.
Win eight of The Knight’s career took his earnings past the $150,000 mark.
Tapper races The Knight with Shirin Wood and her late husband Kevin, who moved the horse to Tapper’s stable from John Bary in early 2014 for a change of scenery when his form flatlined.
The Knight has been a consistent sprinter in the South Island but with 96 points before yesterday’s win, Tapper is concerned about weight.
‘‘That’s the problem. He’s an eightyear-old but he’s still got a lot of weight to carry,’’ Tapper said.
Courtney Barnes achieved a significant milestone with the 100th riding win of her career on Toetwotoe.
TIM RYAN