Keep On Coming
Trish Dunell
A well deserved reward for consistency when promising mare Keep On Coming scored at Te Rapa on Saturday also brought up a personal milestone for co-trainer Pam Gerard who notched her 100th training success with the victory
For Gerard, who started her training career at Ashburton, it was also a continuation of the success enjoyed at her new Ballymore Stable base where she commenced a partnership with Mike Moroney in May this year.
"I'm really enjoying it at Ballymore so it's nice to reach a milestone like this," she said.
"Mike has been very supportive and we've got things really humming along now so I'm very positive about what's coming up for the new season.
"It's also very satisfying to get the win with this mare as she has been a bit of a project along the way and things are now starting to click for her."
Gerard was referring Keep On Coming's fiery temperament that had cost her victory in the past due to a tendency to get things wrong during her races.
"She has just taken a while to work out what it's all about although she is learning all the time," she noted.
"It says a lot for her that we could put an apprentice on for Saturday's race as that wouldn't have been possible earlier in her campaign.
"Sam (Weatherley) rode her nicely as we told him she only has a short sprint so he had to hold her up for as long as possible and he did that to great effect.
"We had thought about sending her to the paddock after her last run at Ruakaka but she really thrived after that race and looked like she was spot on for Saturday. We'll reassess again in a few days but if she keeps improving we will have another run or two before she does go out for a break." – NZ Racing Desk
For Gerard, who started her training career at Ashburton, it was also a continuation of the success enjoyed at her new Ballymore Stable base where she commenced a partnership with Mike Moroney in May this year.
"I'm really enjoying it at Ballymore so it's nice to reach a milestone like this," she said.
"Mike has been very supportive and we've got things really humming along now so I'm very positive about what's coming up for the new season.
"It's also very satisfying to get the win with this mare as she has been a bit of a project along the way and things are now starting to click for her."
Gerard was referring Keep On Coming's fiery temperament that had cost her victory in the past due to a tendency to get things wrong during her races.
"She has just taken a while to work out what it's all about although she is learning all the time," she noted.
"It says a lot for her that we could put an apprentice on for Saturday's race as that wouldn't have been possible earlier in her campaign.
"Sam (Weatherley) rode her nicely as we told him she only has a short sprint so he had to hold her up for as long as possible and he did that to great effect.
"We had thought about sending her to the paddock after her last run at Ruakaka but she really thrived after that race and looked like she was spot on for Saturday. We'll reassess again in a few days but if she keeps improving we will have another run or two before she does go out for a break." – NZ Racing Desk