Expectant mum I Do wins Taranaki horse of the year
Group 1 winner I Do has been named Taranaki horse of the year at a function in New Plymouth on Friday.
And to cap off a memorable night for New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock who shares in the ownership of the high class mare with Waikato Stud, I Do was also named as Taranaki sprinter-miler of the year.
I Do – the winner of 15 races from 38 starts – was retired last season and served by Savabeel. She is due to foal any day. With nine seconds and four thirds, I Do won more than $500,000 in stakemoney.
I Do’s other wins included the Group 3 Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa and the Group 3 Manawatu Challenge Stakes at Awapuni. She was also placed second in the Group 3 Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham.
Hover won the Taranaki twoyear-old of the year award, with Choice picking up the award for the best three-year-old. Stayer of the year went to Just The Tip.
Second Time Lucky will finally get to race on her home track when she contests the fillies and mares feature at Taranaki Thoroughbred Racing’s meeting at Pukekura Raceway today.
The highly rated Any Suggestion-Dance Parade fouryear-old mare is the fixed odds favourite for the $25,000 NZB Insurance 1200m.
Trained by Bryce Revell, Second Time Lucky has had 17 starts for three wins, four seconds and three thirds for earnings of $94,000 and surprisingly none of those have been at New Plymouth.
‘‘To be honest, I never knew that,’’ said Revell. ‘‘She had her first start as a two-year-old in Christchurch and we took her down the South Island as a threeyear-old. She’s not quite top class, but she’s almost there.’’
Revell said Second Time Lucky had been working well and he was more than happy with her.
‘‘She won well at Hawera second up in August and backed up four days later at Te Rapa in the Foxbridge Plate. She was only five lengths from the winner and back down into her grade she will be more than competitive.’’
Taranaki stables are well represented in the race with Better Keeper, Catwomandu and Te Hana all strong chances.
Better Keeper, trained by Tina Egan at Stratford, is a course and distance winner and will be improved by a freshup run for sixth in open company at Wanganui.
Catwomandu is trained by Trudy Keegan at Stratford and with apprentice Leah Hemi is an obvious danger, while Te Hana is resuming from a spell for New Plymouth trainer Janelle Millar and could run a bold race.