Cup defence on track
Another stage of Tommy Beckett’s grand plan to defend Miss Three Stars’ Winter Cup crown has been ticked off.
Miss Three Stars, raced by the Three Star Syndicate, cruised to a seemingly effortless two and a quarter length victory in the $25,000 Preston Russell Law Wairio Cup (2130m) on Sunday.
Beckett confirmed the Perfectly Ready mare will now have two weeks off before preparations for the defense of her $100,000 Group III Winter Cup crown get serious.
The Ascot Park trainer and the seven-year-old mare’s ownership team’s level of confidence will have gone up another notch following the ease of her Wairio Cup win on a wet slow 9 surface at Ascot Park.
‘‘Those holding tracks have been no good for her, she just needed to get on a wetter track like today,’’ Beckett said.
Regular jockey Sam Wynne was at her patient best as she ambled out of her wide barrier draw and went back to save the speedy mare up for one run.
Wynne sat back in the field as Come Fly With Me and then The Gordonian kept the pace on up front. A clear last with 650m to run, Wynne then made her move up the rail before moving across heals to the outside in the straight and exploding to the lead.
Miss Three Stars, a $3.50 race favourite, beat home Revelator with a further half-length back to The Gordonian in third.
The tenth win of Miss Three Stars’ career, from just 52 starts, takes her earnings over the $280,000 mark.
Wynne has been aboard for nine of those victories.
Beckett said Miss Three Stars will head up to Christchurch in around six weeks to race over a mile at Riccarton before contesting a 1400m race at Ashburton.
Her final hit out before the Winter Cup (1600m) on August 5 will be at Oamaru (1600m) on July 23.