It’s Ben Again
Trish Dunell
It's Ben Again will improve significantly with a run under his belt, but that's not to say he can't deliver first-up on his home track on Friday.
The Te Awamutu four-year-old measured up encouragingly in strong age group company last season and trainer Brent Gillovic is optimistic of a successful return in The Rosetti Bay 1150.
"He's a really good horse and he's forward enough to nearly win – he might just get caught out in the last 50 metres," he said.
A half-brother to last season's impressive juvenile debut winner Mongolianlightning, It's Ben Again has yet to race on anything worse than a Dead 5 track, but he is expected to cope if underfoot conditions deteriorate further.
"He's a Danroad and for a big-striding horse he will get through it okay, I won't be holding that up as an excuse," Gillovic said.
"He's going to be pretty fresh and if he ends up in front then it won't worry me."
It's Ben Again won one of his six starts last season and finished runner-up to the subsequent Gr.1 New Zealand Derby placegetter Raghu in the Listed NZB Karaka 3YO Mile.
His form then tailed off in two further starts in the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas and the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas.
"The owner wanted to get him to the Derby - he had a dream but the horse can't stay, he's a sprinter-miler," Gillovic said. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Te Awamutu four-year-old measured up encouragingly in strong age group company last season and trainer Brent Gillovic is optimistic of a successful return in The Rosetti Bay 1150.
"He's a really good horse and he's forward enough to nearly win – he might just get caught out in the last 50 metres," he said.
A half-brother to last season's impressive juvenile debut winner Mongolianlightning, It's Ben Again has yet to race on anything worse than a Dead 5 track, but he is expected to cope if underfoot conditions deteriorate further.
"He's a Danroad and for a big-striding horse he will get through it okay, I won't be holding that up as an excuse," Gillovic said.
"He's going to be pretty fresh and if he ends up in front then it won't worry me."
It's Ben Again won one of his six starts last season and finished runner-up to the subsequent Gr.1 New Zealand Derby placegetter Raghu in the Listed NZB Karaka 3YO Mile.
His form then tailed off in two further starts in the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas and the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas.
"The owner wanted to get him to the Derby - he had a dream but the horse can't stay, he's a sprinter-miler," Gillovic said. – NZ Racing Desk.