Longchamp off to Hastings

THE first leg of the Hawke’s Bay spring carnival will be the next target for Opunake Cup winner Longchamp after his impressive display at New Plymouth on Saturday.

Trainer Andrew Campbell said heading to Riccarton was never in their plans for the four-year-old son of Tavistock who has won his last three races.

It was been a sharp rise for Longchamp who last month was winning a rating 75 1200m at Wanganui before stepping up over 1300m at Otaki where he comfortably beat Cool Moon.

Fours weeks later he proved too good over 1400m to pick up the $65,000 Powerworx Opunake Cup as he powered through the heavy 11 conditions to beat North and South by two and a half lengths with and a brave Taurus, who was forced to lump 60kg, third.

‘‘He’s always shown a lot of ability, he’s just had a lot of issues,’’ Campbell said.

‘‘This time in Tommy [part-owner Tommy Heptinstall] and I have sat down and talked about things and it’s just come to plan. It’s been great.’’

The next part of that plan will be the weight-for-age $200,000 Makfi Stakes at Hastings on August 27.

’’We were never going to go south because it’s too hard on them for us with all that travel. We’ve nominated for all three legs of the triple crown so we’ll see how he comes through because he’s a day-by-day horse.’’

Campbell confirmed Longchamp will not be seen at the races until the Makfi.

‘‘He’s a light framed horse who does not need a hell of a lot of work. If you look at his form, it’s a month between races so it works in perfectly.’’

The Opaki trainer was also delighted with the ride of teenage apprentice Timothy Johnson who enjoyed the biggest win of his brief career.

Beaten favourite Summer’s Day was fourth, with trainer Tony Pike adamant the state of the Pukekura track was her undoing.

‘‘It was just a bit too testing out there, it’s as heavy as I’ve seen all winter,’’ he said.

‘‘She travelled well to the corner but just came off the bridle and got stuck in the mud a little. She probably wans it a bit better than that.’’

Pike said although her had yet to firm up a plan for the four-year-old Darci Brahma mare, it was unlikely they would be heading south for the Winter Cup.

‘‘She might have a little break now and then we’ll look at bringing her back early summer. She’s been up a long time now and in these sort of tracks, it tends to rip the guts out of them a little bit.’’

One trainer definitely heading to Christchurch is Evan Rayner who said Taurus had no chance of winning the Opunake Cup with the weight difference between his horse and the rest of the field.

‘‘But what can you do? We don’t have too many other options.’’

Although not ruling a line through Taurus’ chances in the Winter Cup, he said if they were presented with similar conditions it would be a massive task.

Meanwhile, Katie McKeen made it three wins on end when she won the Seaton Park 2000 by five lengths.

Rider Rosie Myers took the six-yearold Keeninsky mare to the front early and she cleared out from the rest of the field along with Perfect Start.

It quickly became a race in two with Katie McKeen pulling away in the final 100m, with Our Gazza third.

❚ SHORT-PRICED favourite Ladies First will head to the paddock for three months as trainer Allan Sharrock contemplates an exciting future for the Dylan Thomas filly after her win in the three-year-old race at Pukekura on Saturday.

Ladies First, who paid $2.40 for the win, made it three wins from four starts when she saw off Bowie to win the $40,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Finance & Leasing 1600m race by twoand-three-quarter lengths.

Owned by the O’Leary brothers, Sharrock had hoped pre-race that Ladies First could head for a spell as he hatches a plan for her future.

‘‘I’ve just spoken to them and they’re great owners, they’ve agreed to that,’’ he said post-race. ‘‘She’s a cup filly in the making.’’

Ridden by Lisa Allpress, Ladies First travelled near the fence in the testing conditions before the champion jockey eased her off near the 600m.

Although it looked for a time she would struggle to pick up Bowie, Ladies First appeared to dig in and she responded to Allpress to clear out 100m from the line.

Sharrock believes Ladies First will operate on better ground.

‘‘At this stage she is eating mud but I’ve taken her as far as I can at the moment. That was her Melbourne Cup, so if we can put her in the paddock for three months, she’ll go good.’’

Sharrock was full of praise for Allpress, who he said came off the fence at the exact right time.

‘‘At the 200 she was battling but she won by two-and-a-half at the end, so she was pretty dominant. She’s a nice horse.’’

Ladies First has won just under $45,000 from four starts.

Third over the line was Bugle Call, a further three lengths back.

Sharrock didn’t have to wait long for his next success, with Art Deco clearing out to win the maiden 1400m.

Allpress won four races on the trot.