Raw talent overcomes inexperience of filly
She’s a highly-talented filly, but she is still very much a work in progress. She’s going to continue to improve with experience.
Provocative is far from the finished article, but the filly already has trainer Tony Pike daring to dream.
The three-year-old daughter of Zabeel made a winning debut at New Plymouth on Sunday despite doing everything she could to beat herself.
“She’s a highly-talented filly, but she is still very much a work in progress,” Pike said.
“She had one trial and she needed another one, but there aren’t any trials until the middle of January so we decided to give her a race.
“She’s going to continue to improve with experience and she’s a gorgeous type.”
Nominated for the BMW NZ Derby and Wellfield NZ Oaks, Provocative proved a difficult ride for Leith Innes at the Pukekura Raceway after taking a wayward path in the run home.
“She was very green and if she had done everything right she would have won by three or four lengths,” Pike said. “We’ll just take her along quietly, but hopefully she will end up in one of those better races next year.”
A $250,000 Karaka yearling sales purchase, Provocative is out of the group three Tasmanian Derby winner Betwixt and is raced by Auckland owners Robin Peel-Walker and Mark Wyborn.
Meanwhile, Pike has yet to confirm a start for his rising staying star Sacred Master in the Dunstan Feeds Championship Qualifier at Ellerslie on Friday.
“He’s been re-handicapped to 59kg and he’s come through his last run without a problem,” he said. “I’ll talk to the owners and then decide. There are a lot of options for him.”