Racer on the money
Co-trainer Guy Lowry was right on the money when he tipped Lamborghini as his Hastings stable’s best chance to win the Best Travel Waipukurau Cup last Thursday.
With Johnathan Parkes on board, Lamborghini won the 2100-metre cup easily by more than two lengths at Waipukurau Jockey Club. They were followed home by Perfectlyenchanted with half a length to Hare Bawl.
Late money meant Lamborghini, co-trained by Grant Cullen in Hastings for Cambridgebased owner Tony Rider, start as favourite in the penultimate race of the day, paying $3.50 for the win.
The Shinko King six-year-old won at Wairoa two starts back before he finished a fair third on his home track at Hastings earlier this month.
The stable’s other contender in the Waipukurau Cup, WaitASec, finished ninth of the 11 runners.
Early rain and gloomy conditions in the morning prevented a big race-day crowd from turning up to the Waipukurau Jockey Club’s second major meet of the year, behind its annual Christmas at the Races raceday.
But local punters had plenty to cheer about in the third-to-last race of the day when Royal Ruby, ridden by Chris Johnson and owned and trained by Waipukurau Racecourse manager Tony Ebbett and his wife Penny, won the Affco 1200m Maiden race for mares and fillies, paying $6.20 for the win.