Parkes makes special trip to Ruakaka
In sacrificing what would have been a strong book of rides at Awapuni on a Group Three day, it’s clear how highly Johnathan Parkes rates Te Aroha galloper Hiflyer.
Parkes heads to Ruakaka today to continue his association with the Peter Lock- trained Tavistock fiveyear- old in preference to riding Boehringer Ingelheim Metric Mile day at Awapuni, where his services would have been in hot demand.
“I think a lot of the horse and I’m making the trip to make sure I retain the ride for later on with bigger and better races in mind,” Parkes said.
“I’ve picked up one other ride, [ Tavlin] for Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs, but the reason for going up there was to ride Hiflyer so it didn’t matter too much what else I was riding.
“I’m missing out on a few good ones. The Tavistock horse of Andrew Campbell’s [ Athletico], he’s a pretty smart horse and no doubt I would have had a strong book if I had stayed in the CD but that’s the sacrifice I’ve made so I can ride Hiflyer.”
Hiflyer will contest the New Zealand Bloodstock Finance 1200, his first race since his Gr. 2 Easter Stakes ( 1600m) second placing at Ellerslie in April, but both jockey and trainer are happy with the horse.
“He’s 90 per cent ready and hopefully his class can get him there,” Lock said.
“It’s huge for us having Johnathan on and for him to be prepared to commit through the season.
“I rang his agent [ Bevan Sweeney] on Monday and said I know there’s a $ 70,000 Group Three race at Awapuni so I’ll have no complaints if he doesn’t want to travel all this way north for a $ 30,000 race, but he said he’d spoken to Johnathan and this was a horse he didn’t want to get off. Mike Moroney doesn’t buy into the argument that Savile Row will be outpaced when he makes his Australian debut today.
The transtasman trainer has been impressed by the Makfi four- yearold’s demeanour ahead of the Gr. 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality ( 1200m), in which he will be ridden by Stephen Baster.
“I’m very happy with him. He’s been here a while and he’s a lovely horse to have around the stable,” Moroney said.
Bred and raced by Valachi Downs’ Kevin Hickman, Savile Row finished runner- up last season in both the Gr. 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas ( 1600m) and in the Gr. 1 Levin Classic ( 1600m).
He was also second in the Gr. 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes ( 2000m) against the older horses and Moroney isn’t anticipating the shorter distance of the Bobbie Lewis to count against Savile Row.
“I don’t think they’ll be too quick for him,” he said. “He’s got fresh form and I’m hoping they’ll run it along a bit and he can get over the top of them.
“His best trip looks as if it’s a mile, but in saying that he’s sharp enough and he’s pretty classy.
“At this stage, we’ll go through to the Toorak and he does also hold a nomination for the Cox Plate.”
Meanwhile, Savile Row’s stablemate and race rival Saracino may be gelded if he fails to run up to expectations at Flemington.
“He’s been threatened with the knife,” Moroney said.
“At his last start we didn’t know how hard he was trying so we’ll also put the blinkers on.”
The Kiwi- bred four- year- old has been a multiple Group Two winner and Group One placegetter for Wellington owner Lib Petagna, but beat only one runner home when he resumed last time out in the Gr. 3 The Heath at Caulfield.