The Knight
Race Images Christchurch
Southland trainer Bruce Tapper has made a winning impact at the Grand National meeting and he has three more chances to add to his festival tally on Saturday.
Tapper opened his account last Saturday when he produced The Knight to topple the favourite Scapolo and on Wednesday the veteran sprinter's stablemate Our Madonna claimed the middle distance maiden.
The Knight will back up in the Millennium Hotels & Resorts Premier Open after progressing well during the week.
"I'm happy with him and he's eaten up and doing everything he's supposed to do," Tapper said.
"I knew he would be competitive the other day and I rate Scapolo highly so I'm not going to say we'll come out and win again, but he should run well."
A former North Islander, The Knight is in career best form as a nine-year-old, having won his last three starts.
"He's loving life and when I first got him I was told he didn't go on wet tracks so we didn't pressure him and then over the summer he jarred up a couple of times," Tapper said.
"We had to ease up on him and now he's handling these winter tracks, but they are not as bad as the ones up north."
Five Kings pleased Tapper with his opening day run for fifth and a change of tactics will be employed in the Christchurch Casino Winter Classic.
"I was very happy that he got out of the barriers, we've had a few issues with that," he said. "He's better ridden cold though, rather than leading like he did the other day. He's come through the run well."
The third member of the Tapper trio is Jacob Gambino, who was also fifth last Saturday and jumps up to a middle distance in the Lindauer Premier.
"We're just trying something different with him," he said. – NZ Racing Desk.
Tapper opened his account last Saturday when he produced The Knight to topple the favourite Scapolo and on Wednesday the veteran sprinter's stablemate Our Madonna claimed the middle distance maiden.
The Knight will back up in the Millennium Hotels & Resorts Premier Open after progressing well during the week.
"I'm happy with him and he's eaten up and doing everything he's supposed to do," Tapper said.
"I knew he would be competitive the other day and I rate Scapolo highly so I'm not going to say we'll come out and win again, but he should run well."
A former North Islander, The Knight is in career best form as a nine-year-old, having won his last three starts.
"He's loving life and when I first got him I was told he didn't go on wet tracks so we didn't pressure him and then over the summer he jarred up a couple of times," Tapper said.
"We had to ease up on him and now he's handling these winter tracks, but they are not as bad as the ones up north."
Five Kings pleased Tapper with his opening day run for fifth and a change of tactics will be employed in the Christchurch Casino Winter Classic.
"I was very happy that he got out of the barriers, we've had a few issues with that," he said. "He's better ridden cold though, rather than leading like he did the other day. He's come through the run well."
The third member of the Tapper trio is Jacob Gambino, who was also fifth last Saturday and jumps up to a middle distance in the Lindauer Premier.
"We're just trying something different with him," he said. – NZ Racing Desk.