A touch of Frost used to chase black-type success
Buoyed by another breath-taking feature jumps win by Sea King in Australia last weekend, Rachael Frost is turning her focus to domestic stakes success at her home track at Otaki on Saturday.
Frost shares ownership of the Patrick Payne-trained Sea King, a resounding winner of last Sunday’s Brendan Dreschler Hurdle at Ballarat, and prepares promising Swiss Ace filly Kate Louise, a contender for the Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) for 2-year-olds.
In three starts, Kate Louise has twice finished second and in between was sixth in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui after getting too far back in the running.
She closed well for second at Hastings last start over 800m, beaten a length and a quarter, an effort that convinced Frost she was worthy of a start in the Ryder Stakes.
‘‘If it was another 200m the other day, she would have been a hell of a lot closer,’’ Frost said.
‘‘I’m not saying she would have beaten the winner, but she was hitting the line strongly.
‘‘This is a big step up, but even if she could finish third or fourth it’s black-type which makes her more valuable as a broodmare later on. She handles it wet so that might just be her edge.’’
Frost has had to be patient with Kate Louise, who has her quirks leading up to raceday.
‘‘She gets quite anxious before raceday. She knows what’s coming and she won’t eat before her races. She starts pacing and gets fidgety,’’ Frost said.
‘‘She’s a lot better than she was and hopefully with the quicker back-up between races, she won’t think she’s got a race coming up.
‘‘It’s funny though, because she’s a different horse at the racecourse. Once she’s there, she goes to sleep.’’
Frost will also produce Redefine at Otaki, the Captain Rio 3-year-old gelding chasing a fourth straight win in the Graham Sheldon Smellie Memorial (1200m).
‘‘I’m not that keen on running on a heavy 11, but it could be a means to an end because there’s a race for him at Te Rapa the following week.’’
Meanwhile, the Grand National Hurdle (3900m) at Sandown on Saturday week looks the likely next target for Sea King.
He was denied a run in connections’ preferred option – the Mosstrooper Steeplechase – last weekend because he had not trialled over bigger fences in Australia this season but it made no difference.
‘‘He’s pretty good isn’t he?’’ Frost quipped.
‘‘It was pretty impressive, considering it was a hurdle and they do go quite a bit quicker. They ran six seconds quicker than the steeplechasers. He won well and never really looked in trouble.’’
Frost said the Crisp Steeplechase (3900m) at Sandown the same day as the Grand National Hurdle was the preferred option for Sea King, but there were no trials scheduled before that race. Eight quality greyhounds have been drawn into a fascinating set of four match-ups to contest the $30,500 Amazing Chase at Manukau Stadium on Sunday.
Four two-dog match races over 527m will provide an enthralling finish to the 2016/17 racing season for the greyhound code.
The first match sees the exciting in-form Ray Adcocktrained and TAB Fixed Odds $2.50 favourite Tom Tee squaring off against the strong Karen Walsh, Group I-winning greyhound Thrilling Flo ($15).
Tom Tee($1.27 head-to-head)) just needs to bring his Addington form to Manukau to be tough for Thrilling Flo ($3.30) to beat but she should be improved by her solo trial last week when coming off an injury break.
It is a Lisa Cole kennel wrestle in the second match where the kennel-mates Bigtime Bell ($26) and Bigtime Paddy ($5.50) clash.
Head-to-head it’s Bigtime Paddy ($1.35) over Bigtime Bell ($2.85).
Another interesting kennel match-up looms in the third race between the talented youngsters Thrilling Raider ($9) and Ridin’ Shotgun ($4) from the Karen Walsh kennels.
Head-to head Ridin’ Shotgun ($ 1.55) rules the roost over Thrilling Raider ($2.30).
It’s an interisland affair in the fourth match race which has the Matt Roberts Cawbourne Trixy ($16) facing off against Shantui ($6) from the Dave and Jean Fahey kennels.
Head-to-head Shantui ($1.55) is favoured over Cawbourne Trixy ($2.25).
The reserves are Translator ($21) and Westworld ($16).
The odd numbered greyhounds will jump from trap one, while the even numbered chasers will exit from trap three.
The winner of each match will receive $3,000, while the loser $1,000.
The greyhound who clocks the fastest 527m time will receive an additional $10,000. The second quickest will benefit with another $2,500, the third fastest $1,500 and the fourth place getter $500.
The Amazing Chase qualifying period over the last month resulted in keen chasing action sighted at the three venues used and provided great intrigue for New Zealand greyhound racing enthusiasts.
Ridin’ Shotgun (Manukau, 527m), Cawbourne Trixy (Hatrick, 520m) and Tom Tee (Addington 520m) stylishly headed the leader boards at those tracks.