Maygrove on target for NZ Cup start
NEW Zealand Cup ambitions were kept on the boil in the Listed Jakkalberry Classic (1950m) at Rotorua on Saturday.
Well performed Maygrove ridden by Michael Coleman in the familiar Lib Petagna colours carried topweight of 60kg to comfortably account for Gentil Tonton in the $50,000 race as both aim for the Riccarton staying feature on November 12.
Maygrove a distinctive 6-grey gelding is stoutly bred by Authorized out of the Zabeel mare Lady Zhivago and was being aimed at the Melbourne Cup this time last year but the sights have been lowered this season by trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.
He did well in a Melbourne campaign but when he didn’t quite measure up to the best stayers he missed the big race.
‘‘I didn’t think he was up to a Melbourne Cup but he’s a good horse and the New Zealand Cup is well within his scope,’’ Baker said.
‘‘He won well today and really it was pretty easy in the end with his big weight.
‘‘We’ll probably only get one more race into him before the Cup and it will probably be in the Metropolitan on the first day because there are no penalties for the winner.’’
The Metropolitan (2500m) is the traditional lead-up race to the NZ Cup (3200m) a week later.
Maygrove has been a handy performer for with six wins and several good placings to earn nearly $350,000 to date.
Gentle Tonton chased Maygrove in vain but his solid finish suggests he also deserves a crack at the Cup.
There were smiles all round when Singaporean apprentice jockey Hairi Marzuki landed his first New Zealand winner aboard Thee Auld Floozie for his Kiwi boss Stephen Marsh.
Marzuki had to hold off the challenge from Seventh Up with wily veteran Grant Cooksley in the saddle to claim his victory.
‘‘He’s a great boy,’’ Marsh said. ‘‘ He sits on good - she’s not the easiest horse to ride and he’s done a great job.’’
Marzuki has been taking tips from Marsh’s partner, leading rider Danielle Johnson.
Marsh will give the Mastercraftsman mare one more run before heading south to Riccarton for the Group III Coupland’s Bakeries Mile.
‘‘I’ve always been targeting the Couplands and she’ll have one more run beforehand.’’
In the Sweynesse Stakes, Scapolo had the wins on the board and the class to prevail.
The 7-year-old Kevin Myerstrained gelding won for an incredible sixteenth time and boosted his earnings to around $625,000 with the easiest of victories in the race for owners Anne, Khalif, Rick, Sandy and Teneka Hill.
Like Maygrove, winner of the Listed Jakkalberry Stakes earlier in the day, he is the product of a mare by the great sire Zabeel.
‘‘That was a top win, he was outstanding,’’ said Ken Harrison representing the Myers stable. ‘‘Weight-for-age suits him and he coped with the ground.
‘‘He handles all sorts of tracks. It was pretty heavy. The time of 1:18 for the 1200 indicates that. It was a bit of a worry but he got through it well and showed his class.’’