The Good Fight scores good win
Consistent stayer The Good Fight left his race rivals in his wake as he scooted clear in the home straight to take out the Group III Rotorua Cup (2200m) at Arawa Park on Saturday.
The six-year-old son of High Chaparral was having just his second run after a summer break following a disappointing showing in the Group III Wellington Cup (3200m) in January but stripped a fit horse for trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray.
Settled in a handy position by rider Sam Collett, The Good Fight looked to be full of running when looming into contention at the 600m mark. Collett let him have his head on the home turn and The Good Fight bounded clear to crush his rivals in the last 300m, winning by five-lengths from Voler Pour Moi and Initiative who both ran on resolutely from well back in the pack.
Ritchie had been confident of a bold showing before the race but didn’t expect to see such a handsome winning margin.
‘‘I’ve always felt he feels the harder tracks, but we’ve run him in the spring and summer as that is where the better money is for a staying horse like him,’’ he said.
‘‘He had won quite easily on a heavy track earlier in his career, so we thought we’d put him away after the Wellington Cup and bring him back for a crack at a race like this.
‘‘I think he loved it out there today as he just kept coming over the last 800m and looked good doing it.’’
Meanwhile, consistent sprinter Pop Star Princess secured her first black type success when she took out the Group III Rotorua Stakes (1400m), courtesy of a daring ride by Jonathan Riddell.
The noted front-runner had disappointed just seven days ago at Te Rapa when fading badly after being annoyed throughout the 1200m journey when taking up her customary pacemaking role.
Riddell wouldn’t let that happen this time as he bounced the six-year-old mare to a clear lead from the starting gates and maintained a steady tempo that kept his race rivals at bay in the first half of the race.
With his main rivals making swooping runs to race into contention at the 400m, Riddell hugged the rails on Pop Star Princess who kicked hard and put up a three-length advantage.
Although starting to weaken in the final 100m Pop Star Princess had enough in reserve to hold out race favourite Supreme Heights and the well fancied Katie Perrie to secure a gritty victory.