Everest run not likely
Start Wondering and Volkstok’n’barrell captured the Group I races at Te Rapa on Saturday begging the question of what lies ahead for the class gallopers.
Start Wondering all but assured himself of the title of New Zealand’s champion sprinter with a tough win in the NRM Sprint at Te Rapa to go with his first and second in the country’s two premier 1200m races earlier in the summer.
After time with Chris Waller in Sydney, he kicked off again at home with a stakes win at Te Rapa in November, added the Railway and was then beaten in the last stride in the Telegraph.
Saturday’s weight-for-age victory over 1400m provided the icing on the cake for trainers Evan and JJ Rayner and owners Stephen and Jo Gudsell.
‘‘Stephen has done a bit of homework on that race in Sydney but I’m not so sure, maybe it’s safer to stay and win these races here,’’ Evan Rayner said after Johnathan Parkes had ridden the Eighth Wonder gelding perfectly to win.
’’We had a good barrier and I just wanted to get him out and going,’’ Parkes said. ‘‘It couldn’t have worked out any better when we got the split at the top of the straight.’’
The Sydney race in question is the A$10 million The Everest (1200m) in October.
On Saturday the 6-year-old gelding was sent out second favourite and beat Natuzzi by head, with the same distance back to the frontrunning Saracino in third.
The Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs-trained Volkstok’n’barrell secured the fourth Group I victory of his career in the Herbie Dyke Stakes and his future may include a trip to Aussie.
He beat 3-year-old NZ Derby aspirant Savile Row by a head, with the gallant Authentic Paddy just a neck further behind in a close third in the $400,000 feature.
The gelding, whose last victory came in the New Zealand Stakes was ridden a treat by Vinnie Colgan who positioned him ideally and got him going with around 600m to run.
Logan was excited to greet the horse on his return to the birdcage as she got ready to celebrate.
‘‘He’s back,’’ Logan said. ‘‘He’s had his knockers, he was spot on today and he’s done it.
Logan said that future plans were yet to be finalised for the son of Tavistock but an Australian autumn campaign could be on the cards.
‘‘We might sneak back to Australia – there are a lot of options over there.’’