Fascinate’s class tells at Riverton
WELLINGTON: The Brian and Shane Anderton training operation made its presence felt at Riverton on Saturday when it produced Fascinate and Raise You Ten for a winning double.
Progressive 4yrold Raise You Ten produced a powerful late run to cap off some solid form to win the open sprint (1200m), and earlier, stablemate Fascinate also showed grit in fending off a late charge from local mare Flying Sardine in the Francolin Stakes (1400m). It was her ninth win from 38 starts.
Shane Anderton was confident of a good showing from Fascinate after she had given multiple stakeswinner Tommy Tucker a hurryup in preparation for the meeting.
‘‘She won well today as she likes a bit of cut in the ground,’’ he said.
‘‘She worked really good the other morning and had Tommy Tucker off the bit. Any horse who can get him off the bit is working all right.’’
Anderton
said
they
had thought about running Fascinate in the Valachi Downs South Island Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton last week but opted for the Riverton meeting instead.
‘‘She’s done the job for us.’’ Rider Jacob Lowry also had praise for Fascinate.
‘‘She’s a mare who has had a lot of issues and we’ve spent a lot of time getting her right.
‘‘She’s pretty quick and can run time but we’ve had a problem getting her out of the gates. She got away good . . . and she was a happy mare. She’s class and she’s getting the rewards now.’’
The $60,000 Riverton Cup (2147m) was won convincingly by The Gordonian, trained at Ascot Park by JoAnn Gordon. The 9yrold, ridden by Krishna Mudhoo, was two lengths clear of another Southland horse, Taniwha, with Son of Zac third.
The Riverton track is expected to be rated a slow9 for today’s 10race programme. — NZ Racing Desk