All Roads lead to Brisbane
BRISBANE beckons for a ‘‘very good horse’’.
The Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs trained All Roads finally picked up a much deserved black type win in the $100,000 Group II Japan NZ International (1600m) at Tauranga yesterday.
A Group II success was deserving for All Roads who appears to have plenty of ability but has not always had the luck to help him deliver on his true potential.
‘‘He should have won that – he’s a very good horse,’’ Logan said.
The five-year-old son of Road To Rock was not worried by the track conditions which many jockeys considered to be slightly worse than its dead 6 rating.
‘‘My biggest concern today was the track and he only just coped with it,’’ Logan said.
All Roads’ often underwhelming fortunes were no better illustrated than his unlucky second behind Ruud Not Too in the Group II Rich Hill Mile.
Logan said the Brisbane Winter Carnival was now on the radar for All Roads.
‘‘Brisbane’s not a bad place to be in the winter time and it’s nice when they’ve already paid their way,’’ she said after yesterday’s win took All Roads’ earnings over $160,000.
‘‘The money there is very good and he’s quite versatile, I think he will get over more ground,’’ Logan said.
Yesterday’s Japan NZ International was turned upside down by the riderless Marky Mark.
He dumped jockey Sam Collett shortly after the start and punched up the rail, causing plenty of headaches for jockeys mid-field or worse in the early stages.
Thankfully Marky Mark angled safely to the outside around the 900m mark but he still hampered several runners in the straight.
Not surprisingly, winning jockey Kelly McCulloch said the presence of the riderless Marky Mark was a distraction during the running.
Collett emerged from the incident unscathed.
All Roads has now won five of six when Kelly McCulloch is on his back and Gibbs was full of praise for her effort in the Tauranga feature.
McCulloch thought All Roads was ‘‘something special’’ from the first time she rode him.
‘‘He’s got some gears and he gave me a really good feel.’’
All Roads carried just 52kg on his back thanks to the late nomination of top-weight Scapolo on Wednesday.
Kevin Myers’ late entry almost proved a masterstroke as the grand galloper charged down the outside late under 59kg to finish just a short neck behind All Roads in second.
In the first feature of the day, a daring ride by apprentice Anna Jones, stole the $30,000 Bay of Plenty Cup for the connections of talented stayer Woodsman.
The five-year-old son of Mastercraftsman was ahead by five lengths when the field turned for home and held on to win by four lengths thanks to being perfectly rated by Jones throughout the 2100m journey.
Tony Gillies, who trains Woodsman at Matamata, indicated the $100,000 Group II Awapuni Gold Cup over 2000m at Awapuni on Saturday would be the final start before Woodsman heads to the spelling paddock.
Meanwhile, Tony Pike elected not to send Sacred Elixir to Tauranga for an exhibition gallop as originally planned and the top three-year-old will not cross the Tasman for the ATC Derby.
Pike would now consider a Brisbane campaign for the Pour Moi gelding, who has already earned more than $1 million in stakes from just 13 starts.
Sacred Elixir, raced by Raffles Racing, has already tasted Group I success in Queensland. He won the J.J. Atkins Stakes at the Brisbane Winter Carnival as a two-year-old last year.
Arguably the most impressive performance at Tauranga yesterday had in form jockey Jason Waddell labelling unbeaten mare Let Me Roar a star in the making following her fifth win from as many starts. Everything was against the four-year-old daughter of Rip Van Winkle yesterday, but she still put the rating 85 field away by four and a lengths over 1300m.
The fifth win of her career came on the back of a 307 day absence from the races with no trials under her belt. Murray Baker, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman at Cambridge, warned punters of her vulnerability before the race and was surprised by her $2.30 favouritism. Rodney Schick, co-owner and stud manager of Windsor Park Stud who cobred and race the smart mare, said there was no set plans for the exciting galloper at this stage.
‘‘She has had plenty of issues, but if she can stay on track, her future looks exceptionally bright,’’ he said.
He should have won that – he’s a very good horse DONNA LOGAN