Pacorus
Race Images Palmerston North
Cambridge trainer Chris Wood produced another one-two raceday punch when promising gallopers Wooden Edge and Pacorus combined for a winning double at New Plymouth.
Both Wood trained runners had been successful at Te Rapa back in July with both gunning to complete a winning treble for their connections. After an effortless win by Wooden Edge in the first race on the card Pacorus emulated his stablemate with an equally impressive performance as he strode to victory in the day's feature, the ITM New Plymouth Building Supplies Interprovincial 1600.
Although dropping back to the 1600 metre journey from a middle distance at his last start, Pacorus was confidently supported to take out the contest as the Waikato representative even though the province hadn't tasted victory in the event since 1995.
Apprentice Viktoria Gatu left no doubt as she settled the Tavistock gelding nicely in behind the speed before shooting him to the front with 600 metres to run. The combination kept up a strong gallop to the line as they held out the fast finishing Meritaggio with Mangaroa Flo Jo making up good ground to finish third.
Wood had been apprehensive leading into the event as he wasn't sure about dropping the horse back from 2100 metres.
"I did think it may have been a little short for him so I wasn't that confident," he admitted.
"I told Viktoria to try and get him handy early without putting too much pressure on him and then try to slide to the front at the half mile. I knew if he was in front he would be hard to run down and that's how it proved.
"It may not have looked like that good a ride but it was exactly what I asked and she did it superbly so full credit to her."
Wood will now sit down and plot a path to the New Zealand Cup Carnival in November as he believes the 3200 metres of the Riccarton Carnival's feature event will be perfect for the five-year-old gelding.
"His breeding suggests he has the credentials to get up to two miles as he is by Tavistock out of a Zabeel mare," he advised.
"The task now will be to work out how to get him to the New Zealand Cup as that is the race I have earmarked for him as long as he keeps making the progress he has over the past few months." – NZ Racing Desk
Both Wood trained runners had been successful at Te Rapa back in July with both gunning to complete a winning treble for their connections. After an effortless win by Wooden Edge in the first race on the card Pacorus emulated his stablemate with an equally impressive performance as he strode to victory in the day's feature, the ITM New Plymouth Building Supplies Interprovincial 1600.
Although dropping back to the 1600 metre journey from a middle distance at his last start, Pacorus was confidently supported to take out the contest as the Waikato representative even though the province hadn't tasted victory in the event since 1995.
Apprentice Viktoria Gatu left no doubt as she settled the Tavistock gelding nicely in behind the speed before shooting him to the front with 600 metres to run. The combination kept up a strong gallop to the line as they held out the fast finishing Meritaggio with Mangaroa Flo Jo making up good ground to finish third.
Wood had been apprehensive leading into the event as he wasn't sure about dropping the horse back from 2100 metres.
"I did think it may have been a little short for him so I wasn't that confident," he admitted.
"I told Viktoria to try and get him handy early without putting too much pressure on him and then try to slide to the front at the half mile. I knew if he was in front he would be hard to run down and that's how it proved.
"It may not have looked like that good a ride but it was exactly what I asked and she did it superbly so full credit to her."
Wood will now sit down and plot a path to the New Zealand Cup Carnival in November as he believes the 3200 metres of the Riccarton Carnival's feature event will be perfect for the five-year-old gelding.
"His breeding suggests he has the credentials to get up to two miles as he is by Tavistock out of a Zabeel mare," he advised.
"The task now will be to work out how to get him to the New Zealand Cup as that is the race I have earmarked for him as long as he keeps making the progress he has over the past few months." – NZ Racing Desk