Carnaby
Race Images Palmerston North
Athletic three-year-old Carnaby showed he could be a force to be reckoned with in some of the better staying contests next season with a comprehensive display to claim victory in the last race at Awapuni on Saturday.
The giant Danroad gelding made it back to back wins with another powerful display as he bided his time at the rear of the rating 65 1600 metre event before looping his rivals on the home bend and dashing away in the run home.
For trainer Tony Bambry it was another step on the path to redemption for the gelding who proved more than a handful as a young horse.
"He was a real rogue in his early days and very hard to handle," he admitted.
"At his first three jumpouts he came back riderless which didn't augur well but we persevered with him and he has slowly started to get the hang of what it is all about.
"Steven Barlow has done a lot of work with him and really turned him around so he deserves a lot of the credit for how well he is going now.
Bambry has always had an opinion of his charge although he felt he would show his best over a middle distance and beyond.
"Originally I thought he would be a dry tracker but would need ground to be competitive," he said.
"He won his maiden over 2000 metres on a decent track but when you examine his pedigree his dam's family are all wet track runners.
"We decided to try him on the winter tracks and he has really blossomed with those last two wins. I do think though that it is his staying ability that makes him competitive over the mile as it's more like 2000 metres when the track is deep like it is at this time of the year."
Bambry will now sit down with Carnaby's owners to discuss his immediate plans although indications are he may have a month in the paddock with an eye on a spring campaign.
"We talked briefly on Saturday and his owners indicated they would like to see him have a break now," he said.
"The way the weather has been the last few years it could mean the tracks stay quite wet well into the spring which would suit him if he comes up well again. If we could get his rating right he'd be a good chance in one of those intermediate races during the Hawkes Bay carnival so I think that's where we will be heading." – NZ Racing Desk
The giant Danroad gelding made it back to back wins with another powerful display as he bided his time at the rear of the rating 65 1600 metre event before looping his rivals on the home bend and dashing away in the run home.
For trainer Tony Bambry it was another step on the path to redemption for the gelding who proved more than a handful as a young horse.
"He was a real rogue in his early days and very hard to handle," he admitted.
"At his first three jumpouts he came back riderless which didn't augur well but we persevered with him and he has slowly started to get the hang of what it is all about.
"Steven Barlow has done a lot of work with him and really turned him around so he deserves a lot of the credit for how well he is going now.
Bambry has always had an opinion of his charge although he felt he would show his best over a middle distance and beyond.
"Originally I thought he would be a dry tracker but would need ground to be competitive," he said.
"He won his maiden over 2000 metres on a decent track but when you examine his pedigree his dam's family are all wet track runners.
"We decided to try him on the winter tracks and he has really blossomed with those last two wins. I do think though that it is his staying ability that makes him competitive over the mile as it's more like 2000 metres when the track is deep like it is at this time of the year."
Bambry will now sit down with Carnaby's owners to discuss his immediate plans although indications are he may have a month in the paddock with an eye on a spring campaign.
"We talked briefly on Saturday and his owners indicated they would like to see him have a break now," he said.
"The way the weather has been the last few years it could mean the tracks stay quite wet well into the spring which would suit him if he comes up well again. If we could get his rating right he'd be a good chance in one of those intermediate races during the Hawkes Bay carnival so I think that's where we will be heading." – NZ Racing Desk