Gypsy Fair is too good
THE Trentham track proved no barrier to tough Taranaki mare Gypsy Fair in Saturday’s North Island Challenge Stakes.
Instructions from trainer Allan Sharrock to apprentice rider Alfred Chan were to let his mount run.
Chan jumped her to the front and dictated terms and was obviously delighted to carry out his boss’s instructions as he punched the air with a lusty victory salute as they hit the post first.
Sharrock is giving thought to backing up his in-form mare next Saturday.
The New Plymouth trainer said he rarely raced his horses three weeks in a row, but this daughter of Falkirk could an exception.
‘‘I haven’t ruled it out the weight-for-age race at Wanganui and I’ll nominate her and see how the field comes up,’’ said Sharrock.
The Listed AG Challenge Stakes will give her an opportunity to add more black-type after a fourth placing in the Group III Rotorua Stakes the previous Saturday.
She is nearing the end of her career and victory in last season’s Group III Merial Metric Mile at Awapuni boosted her value.
‘‘She’s a well-bred mare and she’s likely to be sold as a broodmare at the end of the season,’’ coowner Sharrock said.
Gypsy Fair won Saturday’s race from Heni and last year’s winner Duffers Creek.
‘‘Allan told me there was no pace and to let her roll and she was happy there,’’ Chan said. ‘‘She handled it very well.’’
In the second of Trentham’s $40,000 features Dr Watson continued his outstanding form and RACE IMAGES that of his owner-trainer-breeder Sylvia Kay when he scored a hardfought victory in the Trentham Gold Cup.
The plain son of Handsome Ransom has been in the form of his life in the last two months with a win and three seconds in his last four starts.
He was too good for second placed Blathwayt and diminutive mare Bel Sorriso, carrying 60kg, battled home bravely to take third place.
Ridden to victory today by Robert Hannam, Dr Watson has now had 25 starts for four wins, 10 placings and more than $80,000 in stakes.
Dolcetto took out the $50,000 Hanley Formula Autumn Sprint Championship Final to make Kay’s day a memorable one which almost went to another level with her third runner Sylvester narrowly beaten in the last on the card.
The Trentham double took Kay to 10 training successes in a season for the first time in her long and successful career. .
Dolcetto has been a major contributor to Kay’s double-figure tally with his fourth win. He has now had seven starts for four wins and two seconds, earning more than $70,000.
Saturday’s win nearly didn’t happen after a minor setback earlier in the week putting Dolcetto’s participation in jeopardy.
‘‘He had a stone bruise at the start of the week and I was a bit worried about that,’’ Kay said. ‘‘But luckily we got him through that. He’s a good horse.’’