Racing in rain at ‘summer’ meet
Favourite Allamericanlover overcame the back mark handicap of 30 metres to score an impressive win in Saturday’s Timaru Summer Cup ($20,000) at Phar Lap Raceway on Saturday.
Summer in the race name proved a misnomer with drivers and horses getting drenched in the steady rain which persisted all day.
However, despite the track being rated slushy it was still safe to race on with the full 10-race card being completed. Allamericanlover had shown her ability when finishing fourth in much stronger company at the Kaikoura Cup as its last start.
The 4-year-old mare began well and settled near the back but driver Tim Williams made his move mid-race to get outside the leader Artatac.
Allamericanlover then wore down Artatac, which had won the Winter Cup earlier this year, in the straight and held off the late challenge of outside Jimmy Arma which had trailled and ran on for second.
The winner is trained by Steve and Amanda Telfer from their southern stable at Swannanoa.
The day’s other feature race the Nursery stakes ($15,000) for 2-year old was claimed by Da Vinci for trainer-driver Craig Ferguson, of Wyndham.
Da Vinci was never headed after hitting the front early on, showing sharp gate speed and held out the Mark Purdon-Hayden Cullen trained duo of Carrera Rapido and Final Collect in a small field.