Knowing wink from Prince
A WINK from Parnell Prince at Te Aroha trainer Louise McGregor proved to be as good as a nod to his chances of winning yesterday’s $25,000 Lockwood Thames Gold Cup at Thames.
‘‘There are always some signs on raceday if he is going to go well and he showed those this morning. He gave me a wink which showed he was dead right,’’ McGregor said.
‘‘He has his share of idiosyncrasies and every day is a challenge with him. But I expected him to go very well today and him winning has capped a great week for me.’’
McGregor scored the most important win of her training career at Ellerslie last Tuesday when she saddled up Grande Bellezza to win the Dunstan Feeds Championship Final.
Grande Bellezza and Parnell Prince both transferred to McGregor’s stable last June.
Parnell Prince, who has won four of his eight starts for McGregor, has not been easy to figure out.
‘‘ We have had him for seven months now and still haven’t really worked him out,’’ she said.
‘‘He has been a bit of a mystery horse but we do know he does hate the whip so the key is not to hit him at any stage of the race.’’
McGregor had pre- trained a number of horses for owner Keith Parsons before receiving Parnell Prince and Grande Bellezza to train and is delighted at the results she has managed with the pair.
‘‘I think Keith likes the training setup we have,’’ McGregor said.
‘‘ It is only a small operation where the horses get plenty of paddock time and he can drop in and see them any time he is in town with his business.
After yesterday’s win, McGregor is now considering a start for Parnell Prince in the Group I Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham on January 26.
In-form jockey Danielle Johnson said Parnell Prince settled nicely in yesterday’s race. ‘‘I popped him out three wide and he kicked very strongly in the home straight and was far too good for them. He fought very well to the line.’’
Johnson was also successful aboard Wake The Guru.
Captain Marvell finished second ahead of Natsinga.
TWO runaway sheep delayed the entrance of the horses on to the racetrack for one of the feature races at Thames yesterday.
The sheep were spotted on the course proper just as the field for the sixth race, the Goldridge Marine Farms 2000, was about to leave the birdcage.
The clerk of the course had to round up the sheep and get them safely off the course before the horses finally went to the start gates.
The unexpected course visitors did not upset the Pukekohetrained mare, Designacat, from winning the middle- distance event. The favourite beat Ocean Bound by 11⁄ lengths, with Billie Jean King a long neck back.
‘‘ She has been racing very honestly this campaign and deserved to get another win,’’ said trainer Richard Collett. ‘‘It was a good effort when she ran fourth at Te Rapa at her last start and she’s been racing on some of the major racedays.
‘‘She was in the Dunstan Championship Final at Ellerslie earlier in the week but this looked a better option for her,’’ Collett said.
Designacat is owned by Auckland import company owner Bob Lund.
It was the second win of the day for Collett, who had only two runners at the meeting.
‘‘Thames has been a good track to me over the years and it’s good to come here and win with both horses.
‘‘He was also well placed race and handled the trip Collett said. in his well,’’