Coldplay makes sweet music
COLDPLAY made sweet music in the Group III Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
The least fancied of three Murray Baker and Andrew Forsmantrained runners in the feature, she was clearly superior to her stablemates and the remainder of a quality field.
The daughter of Savabeel had to work hard to overhaul second placed Ronchi while Stylish Attack ran a highly promising third.
A stylish fresh-up winner over 1400m, Coldplay stepped up in class and distance for the $70,000 feature and delivered one of the performances of her career.
The winner’s pacemaking stablemate Saint Emilion battled into fourth ahead of Hong Kongbound stayer Benzini.
‘‘I think Saint Emilion wasn’t really suited to dropping back to the mile from 2000 metres last start,’’ Forsman said. ‘‘This run was mainly just to keep him ticking over before the Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day.
‘‘Mime was disappointing for the second time in a row. She was travelling well but just didn’t let down in the straight the way we know she can.’’
With back-to-back wins at the course, Coldplay has emphatically turned around her poor Ellerslie record. She had been unplaced in three previous appearances, and she was also late-scratched at the barrier in the Royal Stakes on New Year’s Day.
Forsman was thrilled with the run of Coldplay who won the Group III Eulogy Stakes last season for owners Garry Chittick and Gary Wallace and she has now had 11 starts for four wins, one placing and more than $110,000 in prize-money.
Bred by Wallace, Coldplay is out of winning O’Reilly mare Forty Two Below, a full-sister to Listed winner and Group I placed The Big Chill.
‘‘She is a mare who has really matured and come into her own as a 4-year-old,’’ Forsman said. ‘‘She’s now the real deal and hopefully she can go on now.
‘‘Maybe she will go to the CAL Isuzu next but Murray and the two Gar(r)ys can work that out.’’
The Group II CAL Isuzu (1600m)is run at Te Rapa on December 10.
Ronchi settled in a perfect trail for jockey Grant Cooksley and ran well, but Craig Grylls aboard Coldplay had a solid bead on his rival.
‘‘There was good speed on,’’ Grylls said. ‘‘She was off the nickle early but she came up underneath me and I was always confident of picking up Ronchi.
Stephen Marsh received a pleasant surprise when Ruud Not Too produced a stirring first-up performance to win a competitive Rating 85 race.
The Cambridge trainer believed she was the best of the three runners he lined up in the race but still didn’t expect to win the sprint.
As it turned out, Ruud Not Too was a touch too good for stablemate Rocanto with Chachar taking third off the favourite Go Nicholas.
Unraced since April, Ruud Not Too bounced out of her handy gate to lead for Danielle Johnson and the Bernardini mare kicked on determinedly to beat her stablemate.
Ruud Not Too has yet to win beyond 1400 metres, but Marsh is confident the Group placed 4-yearold can put that right in her main aim, the Dunstan Feeds Rising Stars Championship at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. WANGANUI became the second meeting to fall foul of the weather this week when rain forced the abandonment of its Cup fixture on Saturday.
Last Sunday, the Cambridge Jockey Club’s meeting at Te Rapa was called off before a race was run after strong winds blew over a large part of the running rail in the front straight. That meeting will now be held on Sunday.
An inspection of the track at Wanganui by jockeys, trainers, stewards and club officials after the opening event won by the Margaret Cartwright-trained debutant Handsome Return ridden by Masa Tanaka.
‘‘There was a shower of rain about 10 minutes before the first and Chris Dell said his mount slipped and Robert Hannam said his mount did as well near the 800 metre mark,’’ stipendiary steward Brady Jones said.
‘‘A number of other riders reported their mounts weren’t happy in the ground and with no immediate remedy to the situation the decision was made to abandon the meeting.’’
The meeting will not be rescheduled.
The current weather forecast doesn’t provide sufficient degree of confidence that the meeting could proceed safely next week.
As a result NZTR will take action to provide opportunities for Central Districts stakeholders at coming meetings.
At the Waipukurau JC meeting on Sunday December 4 the advertised stake of $7,000 for the BMRating 65 races over 1200m and 1600m will be increased to $12,000. The advertised stake of $10,000 for the BMRating 75 2200m race will be increased to $15,000.
An open handicap of $30,000 to be run over 2100m has been added to the programme at the Wellington Racing Club meeting on Saturday, December 3.
Races will be divided and added as required at all Central Districts meetings in order to provide opportunities for stakeholders. A compensation payment of $200 will be made in respect of each horse accepted for Saturday’s meeting.
The Listed Wanganui Cup will be rescheduled for later in the season with a formal announcement to follow on Monday.
‘ She is a mare who has really matured and come into her own as a 4-yearold."She's now the real deal.’ CO-TRAINER: ANDREW FORSMAN.