Sherpa
Trish Dunell
A frustrating run of injury, illness and bad luck came to an end on Saturday when rugged gelding Sherpa returned to the winner's enclosure with a dominant performance at Ruakaka.
Trainer Alan Tait had experienced any number of frustrations with the five-year-old gelding who was greeting the judge for his first win since March 2015. Tait admitted his patience had been tried on numerous occasions over the past year as he fought to restore the gelding to full health.
"We've had nothing but frustrations with this horse since late last year," he admitted.
"He has plenty of ability but he wasn't producing his best so we put him aside after he started missing the start in his races. When we brought him back in we found he had two splints so that meant he went back in the paddock for another spell.
"I thought he was coming right but he got a virus that was going around late in the summer so he went back in the paddock again.
"Thankfully he seems to be over all of that now and he showed on Saturday that when he is right he has got plenty of ability."
Tait had been confident of a good showing after the horse excelled in trackwork last week.
"I came home and said to the higher authority, my wife, that he would win on Saturday" he laughed.
"His work was outstanding and I thought the track would be just what he wanted. He can't really go on the heavy stuff but a dead to slow surface is perfect for him.
"Mark (Hills) rode him nicely and thankfully he did what we had hoped he would."
Tait is hoping he can produce a similar result this coming weekend as stable star Southern Icon takes on the biggest challenge of his career when he lines up in the Gr. 2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa.
"He hasn't raced against that calibre of horse before but I think he's ready for it," he said.
"He's done well after his trial win at Te Teko so if we want to tackle the big guns at Hastings later in the month then this will tell us if that's just a dream or a reality." – NZ Racing Desk
Trainer Alan Tait had experienced any number of frustrations with the five-year-old gelding who was greeting the judge for his first win since March 2015. Tait admitted his patience had been tried on numerous occasions over the past year as he fought to restore the gelding to full health.
"We've had nothing but frustrations with this horse since late last year," he admitted.
"He has plenty of ability but he wasn't producing his best so we put him aside after he started missing the start in his races. When we brought him back in we found he had two splints so that meant he went back in the paddock for another spell.
"I thought he was coming right but he got a virus that was going around late in the summer so he went back in the paddock again.
"Thankfully he seems to be over all of that now and he showed on Saturday that when he is right he has got plenty of ability."
Tait had been confident of a good showing after the horse excelled in trackwork last week.
"I came home and said to the higher authority, my wife, that he would win on Saturday" he laughed.
"His work was outstanding and I thought the track would be just what he wanted. He can't really go on the heavy stuff but a dead to slow surface is perfect for him.
"Mark (Hills) rode him nicely and thankfully he did what we had hoped he would."
Tait is hoping he can produce a similar result this coming weekend as stable star Southern Icon takes on the biggest challenge of his career when he lines up in the Gr. 2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa.
"He hasn't raced against that calibre of horse before but I think he's ready for it," he said.
"He's done well after his trial win at Te Teko so if we want to tackle the big guns at Hastings later in the month then this will tell us if that's just a dream or a reality." – NZ Racing Desk