Southern icon back to best
A lengthy period of frustration with Southern Icon ended yesterday for trainer Alan Tait when the talented sprinter returned to winning form.
The six-year-old produced a commanding frontrunning performance to add the BCD Group Handicap (1400m) at Te Rapa to his record.
‘‘Everything has gone wrong in the last two years,’’ Tait said.
‘‘Hopefully, we’ll be back here in a fortnight and then look toward the spring.’’
Plagued by a serious virus and a subsequent leg injury, Southern Icon had opened his campaign seven days previously at New Plymouth where he finished fourth behind the highly-regarded Art Deco.
‘‘I thought his run at Taranaki was good, he had 58.5kg,’’ Tait said.
‘‘He came through it well and he just loves this place, it doesn’t matter to him if it rains.’’
Southern Icon travelled boldly in front and, after surging clear 350m from home, he strolled home by a length and a-quarter to post his fifth victory on the course.
‘‘It was a good run first-up and when he’s a happy horse he’s a good horse,’’ said Mark Hills, who has now won eight races on the son of Big Brown.
Awapuni visitor Mighty Solomon got home strongly from last to take second and the stayer Pacorus gave a bold account of himself to finish third in his first outing for six months.
‘‘We had a minor set-back with him six weeks ago with a back issue, but we’ve got that sorted,’’ trainer Chris Wood said.
The Shackler claimed the first prestige event of the jumping season when second best at Te Rapa yesterday had looked more likely to be his reward.
The Paul Nelson-trained veteran measured his jumps well in or near the lead under Aaron Kuru during the Porritt Sand Waikato Hurdle (3200m) before he was hotly challenged by It’s A Wonder three flights from home.
The latter then lost his chance when the Harvey Wilson-prepared gelding met the second last hurdle poorly and all but dislodged rider Will Gordon, who did well to stay aboard and finish runner-up.
Fortunes were reversed in the Neil Treweek Steeplechase (3900m) when It’s A Wonder’s stablemate Venerate was successful under Gordon after Nelson’s Perry Mason fell at the final fence when looking the winner for Kuru.
The Shackler was having his first jumping outing of his campaign and a winter programme has yet to be confirmed for the 11-year-old.
‘‘We’ll take it one at a time,’’ Nelson said. ‘‘We could come back here (for the K. S. Browne Hurdle) or wait for the Hawke’s Bay Hurdles.
‘‘We just have to avoid the really bad tracks.’’