Supreme Heights super for Brosnan
Outstanding racemare Supreme Heights added a further blacktype title to her career record when taking out the feature event at Whanganui, the $50,000 AGC Training Stakes (1600m) yesterday.
Prepared at Matamata by Mark Brosnan, the five-year-old daughter of Jimmy Choux has been a model of consistency throughout her 21-start career, finishing in the first three on 14 occasions, with three of her eight wins coming at stakes level.
Sent out a warm $2.70 favourite on the back of a gritty run for second first up at Rotorua behind Popstar Princess, Supreme Heights never gave her supporters a moment of concern as she settled beautifully in behind pacemaker Hartley for rider Lynsey Satherley.
Satherley moved up alongside Hartley at the 500m and took over shortly after, quickly putting a break on the rest of the field that she carried comfortably to the line to defeat a game Crowning Star, with Hartley plugging on gamely for third.
‘‘I thought she probably looked the best horse in the field on paper but that’s not where they run the race,’’ Brosnan said.
‘‘She tends to like it when the track is a bit better than she struck today, but she tries that
hard that she always puts in her best.
‘‘She was very good in the run home and probably held them at bay reasonably comfortably.’’ While Brosnan was delighted with the run he wasn’t looking forward to the long trip home to Matamata.
‘‘It’s five hours down here and another five home, so it’s a long day,’’ he said.
■ Lightly-raced Cambridge visitor Danger Strykes confirmed she has big future ahead of her with a comprehensive victory in the $50k Castletown Stakes (1200m).
Handled confidently by rider Ryan Elliot, the Tony Pike-trained filly $8) settled nicely on the outer behind a hot speed set up by Taoiseach. Angled into the clear at the 300m, Danger Strykes quickly dashed to the lead before holding out a late run from Ima Roca Bee.