Thenamesbond puts mixed fortunes behind him

Thenamesbond bounced back from recent disappointments to score an impressive win at Rotorua yesterday.

The China Cat gelding won the 3500 metre open hurdle in the hands of leading jumps jockey, Michael Mitchell, carrying topweight of 70kgs.

Trainer, Stephen Ralph, never lost the faith despite slipped saddles, bungled jumps and fitness issues in recent outings since a win three starts back.

A slipped saddle in the traditional Great Northern Hurdles lead-up, which meant he had to be pulled up early in the race, came back to haunt Ralph.

Being pulled up cost him invaluable fitness going into the tough Great Northern and,under the circumstances, his gutsy run for fifth in that race under leading Australian jockey, Steve Pateman, was full of merit.

‘‘That slipped saddle tripped us up and he did a bit too well leading into the Northern,’’ Ralph said.

‘‘Steve Pateman rode him pic- ture perfect but he he wasn’t quite fit enough.

‘‘I told Michael he was fit enough this time and he was. We came up short in the Northern but we wanted to finish the season on a good note and he won well today.’’

Thenamesbond will head to the spelling paddock as the winner of seven races and more than $100,000 in stakes and will return next season with the Waikato Hurdles as his first mission.

All going well he could head to Australia later in the season.

‘‘If we can gather some funds here early in the season we would consider going to Australia,’’ Ralph said.