Training strikerate standouts set for big day
WELLINGTON: THE Otaki stable of Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard boasts the best strikerate in New Zealand this season, and a quality quartet of runners at Trentham tomorrow could further embellish their impressive record.
Benner and Wynyard have won 15 races so far this season, which puts them in 16th place on the national trainers’ premiership.
But they have saddled only 44 starters, giving them a strikerate of a winner every 2.93 runners — clearly better than any other stable in the top 100.
‘‘We can’t really complain. Things have been going pretty well for us this season,” Benner said.
“We’ve got some nice horses around us, and now we’re hoping for a big day on Saturday.”
The only thing missing from Benner and Wynyard’s CV this season is blacktype success, and they have three chances to rectify that this weekend.
The headline acts are Bonham and Invisible Spirit, who will take on star northern colt Brando in the group 1 Levin Classic over 1600m.
Bonham has tasted defeat only once in her fourstart career, finishing a close and creditable seventh in the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton in November.
The Per Incanto filly has won all of her other three appearances, including a brilliant victory over 1400m at Awapuni last Saturday.
Raced by prominent stable client Gary Harding, Bonham will be ridden by Lisa Allpress and sits on the third line of Levin Classic betting at $10.
“She pulled up sensationally well from last week’s race,” Benner said.
“It was a relatively soft run for her in the end. They didn’t run the race at a crazy tempo, she had a nice trip and she really only sprinted in the last furlong or two.
“She came through that run so well, we couldn’t see any reason not to back her up this Saturday. Group 1s are so important for lovely fillies like her, so we were keen to take a shot at it.
‘‘We’re expecting her to be very competitive over that 1600m at Trentham.”
Stablemate Invisible Spirit has won twice in his sixstart career, including a stylish performance at Trentham last month. He has never finished further back than fourth, and he is rated a $31 chance.
“He’s been super consistent,” Benner said.
“It might be a bit of an ask this weekend up against the big ones, but he’ll definitely be a runner’s chance. He’s nicely drawn [gate 1] and has a good little record behind him. We won’t be surprised if he runs well.”
The stable will also line up promising colt Titled in the listed Wellesley Stakes over 1000m and Wononeohwon, who has been a strong winner of two of his three starts, in race 1, a rating 74 sprint over 1400m. — NZ Racing Desk