Getty gets Te Rapa gold
Getty is a horse going places.
The 2-year-old gelding launched his career on a heavy Trentham track in June and went two from two at Te Rapa yesterday.
Opaki trainer Andrew Campbell ventured north from a saturated Wairarapa in search of better track conditions and got his wish with Getty and stablemate Waldorf.
‘‘I knew that to keep them ticking over I had to head up here, this track’s still on the slow side but it’s far better than anything down my way,’’ Campbell said.
The pair pleased the astute horseman with their respective first and third placings, split by the Graeme and Debbie Rogerson runner Malambo, and Campbell will now look to bigger prizes.
‘‘It’s a good result,’’ Campbell said. ‘‘I’ll talk to Tommy [part-owner Tommy Heptinstall] tonight and we’ll work out a plan.’’
The future looks bright for the stablemates who both run for the same syndicate which is part of the reason Campbell wants them to follow different paths.
‘‘We will try not to run them against each other again,’’ he said.
Just which one goes where will be decided with the Ryder Stakes in a fortnight in the mix plus early age group races at the Hawke’s Bay spring carnival which kicks off next month.
The Hawke’s Bay Guineas in October is no doubt in the thoughts of connections if the youngsters’ form stacks up closer to the feature race.
Getty, a $75,000 Karaka Select Sale purchase, had been successful on debut ploughing through the Trentham mud last month and he appreciated Te Rapa’s Slow9 surface.
‘‘I’ve always thought he would like the better tracks,’’ Campbell said. ‘‘He got bogged down at Wellington, but he still got the job done well.’’
Getty made use of an inside gate yesterday to make the running and he kicked away from his rivals in the closing stages after being briefly headed by Malambo to win by half a length.
‘‘I thought he would jump and lead, he’s a pretty smart horse and I was pleased with the other one as well,’’ Campbell said.
Successful jockey Johnathan Parkes said he had no concerns during the race and he, too, expects Getty to improve as he strikes firmer ground.
‘‘He’s a good horse and he’ll like the better track conditions,’’ he said. ‘‘He’s still got a lot to learn, but he’s exciting and I think he might be quite a talented horse later on – he’s going to make a nice 3-year-old.
‘‘He had a very nice barrier today and so it was just a matter of getting him out and putting him in the race.
‘‘He did want to wait for the opposition but once he’s seen them out the corner of his eye he’s quickened.’’
Getty cut the 1100 metres out in 1:07.14.
The money came for Alvins Dream in the maiden 1200 and the son of Iffraaj did the right thing for punters, Cambridge trainer Mark Forbes and jockey Troy Harris.
Joining the celebrations were Forbes’ grandparents Gary and Caroline Tims, friend Ross McFarlane and the trainer’s younger brother Alex. The partnership recently bought the horse after it was decided he wasn’t up to the standard of his original destination, Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, don’t underestimate what Matamata trainer Alan Tait has endured to get Southern Icon back into the winner’s stall.
His horse had it all before him 12 months ago as he put together an impressive form-line.
Just as Tait was formulating a plan to tackle prestige races, disaster struck and the son of Big Brown was flattened with a virus.
His form tailed off and it’s been a long road back with a second virus complicating proceedings.
He won the corresponding race at last year’s meeting which was his fourth straight success and then it all turned sour but with yesterday’s win Tait can begin planning again.
Tait had nio idea what to expect yesterday, simply hoping to see the horse owned by his wife Gaylene and friend Mike Collinson back somewhere near his best.
‘‘When they get a virus like he had you never know what to expect when they come back,’’ Tait said. ‘‘He showed so much ability and it’s good to see him back, I think he’s back where he was.’’
Tait is debating to return to Te Rapa on August 5 for an open 1200 and then follow a path to the Group II Foxbridge Plate (1200m), again at Te Rapa on August 19, or go straight to the Foxbridge and on to Hawke’s Bay and the Group I Tarzino Trophy (1400) on September 2.
‘‘He will need to run in the first three in the Foxbridge to make the field at Hastings,’’ Tait said.
For now Tait will celebrate and ‘‘hope nothing else goes wrong’’.
‘‘It’s been a long time between drinks,’’ he said. ‘‘It was one disaster after another disaster but now we are back.’’
Southern Icon won from Biggin Hill with Kitaya running well for third in his first run since competing in Hong Kong.
Yesterday’s Gallagher 1600 was won by rising 7-year-old mare Adriatic Pearl.
The winner surprised her co-owner and trainer Jim Pender by settling handy to the pace.
In a battle of the greys, Adriatic Pearl, resplendent in her pink chequered colours and pink side winkers, proved superior to gallant runner-up Leeds with El Pescado third.
‘‘I was surprised she raced as handy as she did,’’ Pender said. ‘‘She’s got the X-factor and she’s a pleasure to do anything with. All we want now is a bit of black-type with her and we’ll look for that probably next season.’’
The daughter of Zed was ridden by regular jockey Trudy Thornton, who made it two for the day when winning aboard Jochen Rindt later on the card.