Cup a Jochen Rindt romp
Weight played a major hand in Saturday’s Taumarunui Cup run at Rotorua and so did tactics.
It was pedal to the metal on lightweight Jochen Rindt, named in memory of the late champion formula one driver, who led every step of the way in the $50,00 Listed race.
Part-owner and trainer Terry Wenn is strong in the belief that his 6-year-old gelding is at his best on left handed tracks.
‘‘I asked Sam [jockey Samantha Collett] to have be handy and on the rail,’’ said Wenn who was in working mode as Clerk of the Course at the meeting.
‘‘He has improved with each run in this campaign and won pretty easily.’’
On a wet and muddy afternoon Collett was the sole jockey to return fresh and clean to the birdcage as opponents ate mud.
Off a rating of 78 the Ishiguru gelding carried 53kg while valiant chaser Pump Up The Volume lumped 60kg into second ahead of Second Innings.
‘‘The difference in weight makes a huge difference on these sorts of tracks,’’ Collett said.
‘‘I got the ride because Sam Spratt who usually rides him was riding at Otaki and it was my first time on him.
‘‘I rode him in work at Cambridge during the week and he’s a funny horse in the sense he likes to follow the rail.
‘‘We drew one so the plan was to lead and hug the rail - it worked a treat, he could have gone around again.’’
Wenn races Jochen Rindt with Mandy Walters who bred the horse, and Don Grayling.
They have enjoyed five wins with the horse with Saturday’s success far and away his best.
Impressive earlier in the day was El Pescado, the Stu Manning-trained gelding on his way to the Hawke’s Bay spring carnival.
Manning and owners Frank and Faye Drummond have nominated the quality galloper for the Makfi Stakes (1400m) and Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at the carnival.
‘‘I didn’t think he was ready to do that,’’ Manning said after watching the 5-year-old thrash his rivals. ‘‘He did it pretty easily, a nice surprise.’’
El Pescado gave jockey Cameron Lammas his 600th New Zealand career win.
Two jumps races were run on the card and no surprises - the Myers and Fannin roll continued.
At three of the last four jumps meetings they’ve contested, Kevin Myers and Shaun Fannin have combined for a clean sweep of the seven jumps races carded.
Second placing was the best they could manage at Te Aroha last Sunday, but two days earlier they had won three from three at Washdyke, on Thursday at Awapuni it was two from two and it was the same at Rotorua.
Jockey Fannin and trainer Myers, have now moved 23 and 24 wins respectively for the calendar year, miles clear of the chasing pack.
Punters are catching on, they installed Bayrum and Ngario as firm favourites in their respective 3000m hurdle races and both won easily under typically efficient Fannin rides.
A solemn cloud hung over Saturday’s meeting with news of the death of prominent owner and breeder Paul Smithies.
Best known for the 2014 New Zealand Derby winner Puccini, Smithies died on Friday of a suspected heart attack. He was in his early fifties.
In partnership with his wife Cushla, Smithies established Monovale Farm on the banks of Lake Karapiro and quickly built respect breeding Group I winners Sir Slick, his half-brother Puccini, raced by the Smithies, and New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Platinum Witness.
Monovale Farm produced quality yearlings at the National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka year after year.
Smithies was also active in administration and served as a New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association councillor and as a board member of New Zealand Thoroughbred Marketing.