Pentathlon
Race Images Palmerston North
Pentathlon made impressive progress during his last preparation and he may end up going even further afield later this year.
The son of Pentire went from a Rating 59 performer to a major cups' contender through the spring and summer and into the autumn.
Trainer John Wheeler has Pentathlon back in work and with a couple of tentative plans, depending on the gelding's progress.
"He's had a couple of little run alongs and everything is going to plan, but he is a long way off racing just yet," the Taranaki horseman said.
"I want to see how he comes up - it will depend how much improvement he can make between four and five.
"There's a chance I may take him to Melbourne for the country cups or failing that we'll look toward the New Zealand Cup."
Pentathlon's emergence began on his home track at New Plymouth last October with a Rating 65 success and he reeled off consecutive wins at Riccarton (two) and Trentham before he finished third in the Listed Marton Cup.
He was then runner-up in the Gr.3 Wellington Cup, fifth in the Nathans Memorial and fourth in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup.
"He should have won the Wellington Cup," Wheeler said "He came a long way in a short time and did a terrific job."
Pentathlon also boasts a pedigree that Wheeler is familiar with having trained his close relation Pentathon, the dual Group Two winner of the P. J. O'Shea Stakes and the Gr.3 Metropolitan Trophy.
Also Group One placed in the Sydney and Doomben Cups, he was New Zealand's champion stayer in 2006-07. – NZ Racing Desk.
The son of Pentire went from a Rating 59 performer to a major cups' contender through the spring and summer and into the autumn.
Trainer John Wheeler has Pentathlon back in work and with a couple of tentative plans, depending on the gelding's progress.
"He's had a couple of little run alongs and everything is going to plan, but he is a long way off racing just yet," the Taranaki horseman said.
"I want to see how he comes up - it will depend how much improvement he can make between four and five.
"There's a chance I may take him to Melbourne for the country cups or failing that we'll look toward the New Zealand Cup."
Pentathlon's emergence began on his home track at New Plymouth last October with a Rating 65 success and he reeled off consecutive wins at Riccarton (two) and Trentham before he finished third in the Listed Marton Cup.
He was then runner-up in the Gr.3 Wellington Cup, fifth in the Nathans Memorial and fourth in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup.
"He should have won the Wellington Cup," Wheeler said "He came a long way in a short time and did a terrific job."
Pentathlon also boasts a pedigree that Wheeler is familiar with having trained his close relation Pentathon, the dual Group Two winner of the P. J. O'Shea Stakes and the Gr.3 Metropolitan Trophy.
Also Group One placed in the Sydney and Doomben Cups, he was New Zealand's champion stayer in 2006-07. – NZ Racing Desk.
