Pacorus leads Wood’s revival

Cambridge trainer Chris Wood has been riding the rollercoaster of racing in recent times, right now the ride is thrilling.

His battle for winners has been tough but persistence is paying off with several promising horses in his current team. Wood knows all about the highs of the industry.

He won major races with the likes of million dollar-plus earner Kaapstad Way, Al Akbar (the sire of Winx’s mother), Allegro and Des’s Dream who were among his 20-odd black-type winners in New Zealand alone.

Across the Tasman, Des’s Dream won the Group I All Aged Stakes at Randwick and in his biggest thrill in racing, Kaapstad Way ran second in a Caulfield Cup. But pickings have been slim in recent seasons.

‘‘It’s not that I’ve forgotten how to train a winner,’’ Wood said. ‘‘I just haven’t had the horses.’’

But with this season in its infancy, he has clocked up six wins, last year it took him all season to notch 10 wins and he scraped just five together the previous season.

A few years back he was regularly banging out over 20 winners in a season.

The tide is turning and Wood was delighted when an owner sent him a couple of new recruits recently.

‘‘It’s been a while since that happened – I’ve been struggling for numbers.’’

Wood has been doing a wonderful job with Tavistock gelding Pacorus, the winner of five of his last six starts and a contender for the $250,000 New Zealand Cup (3200m) on November 12.

After Pacorus won at Ellerslie last Saturday Wood firmed up plans as he aims at the prestige race.

He has decided to give the stable flag bearer just one more run before tackling the staying test.

‘‘He’s a clean-winded horse and doesn’t need a heap of racing and galloping,’’ the experienced horseman said.

‘‘I’m thinking he can go to Hawera for the Egmont Cup and if need be, I will use the Rotorua Challenge Stakes as a back-up just to have two options.’’

The Egmont Cup (2100m) is run on October 8 and the Rotorua race is a week later.

Stable apprentice Viktoria Gatu has been Pacorus’s jockey and will continue her association with the horse.

This weekend Wood travels to Hastings and considers he has two good chances while suspended Gatu takes a break. Up-and-comers Wooden Edge and Roc de Bank will be ridden by Mark Hills in Gatu’s absence.