Irish jockey goes straight to top with Leaderboard
ENIGMATIC galloper Leaderboard ($50) put his best foot forward when he responded to a brilliant ride from visiting Irish jockey Joe Doyle to upset in the $300,000 Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham yesterday.
The Mark Walker-trained son of Street Cry has always looked a progressive stayer for owners the Fortuna Leaderboard Syndicate, including finishing third in the 2021 New Zealand Cup (3200m), but had also disappointed on occasions when troubled with a series of niggles including some foot issues.
A disappointing lead-up run in the Marton Cup (2200m) earlier in the month saw punters let him start at better than $50, but he defied those odds to post his seventh career victory with a stunning win.
Doyle had the 8-year-old trucking along nicely in midfield as pacemaker Contemplation set up a steady speed several lengths away from the inside fence throughout.
Riders pushed their mounts wider approaching the home turn with Doyle sending his charge on a scouting run that saw him strike the lead one-off the outside running rail at the top of the straight.
Doyle and Leaderboard went for gold and established a winning break, as Contemplation fought back doggedly to reduce the margin to a length at the line, with topweight Dionysus battling gamely into third.
Te Akau Racing assistant trainer Sam Bergerson had an inkling his representative would run well after some solid trackwork, along with testing underfoot conditions.
‘‘Joe got him into a lovely rhythm and after he galloped him at Matamata on Wednesday he said the horse was as fit as a fiddle.
‘‘We were quietly confident but you never know with him as he can throw in a shocker at times.’’
Doyle was thrilled with his second stakes win since moving here in November from his native County Tipperary.
‘‘He travelled beautifully and we didn’t go a mad gallop, just even and he just kept fighting up to the line.’’
● Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta has always had faith that 5-year-old He’s A Doozy ($11) had the necessary ability to make it all the way to the top echelon and that belief was rewarded when he took out the $300K Thorndon Mile (1600m).
Rider Kozzi Asano saved ground along the inner throughout before switching wide for better ground turning in and held out a relentless challenge from favourite Sharp ‘N’ Smart.