D'Llaro
Trish Dunell
An emotional Graeme Lord joined a select club at Ellerslie following the commanding victory of D'Llaro in the Great Northern Hurdles.
The Cambridge horseman won the event aboard Vincere in 1987 and 1988 during his riding career and on Saturday he was proud as punch to add a training success in the Schweppes-sponsored feature.
"My father and my grandfather rode over fences and so did my brother Murray and I and after winning it twice on Vincere this is just great," Lord said.
"I'm just rapt and the bloke rode him a treat. He did exactly what I wanted him to."
Lord was referring to the Australian Brad McLean, who let D'Llaro take up his customary role in front after the first lap.
"I've had faith in the horse all the way through and the hardest thing was getting a rider – nobody wanted to stick with him so I got Brad to come over," said Lord, who races the 10-year-old with the estate of his late father Ivan, farrier Kim Hughes and another former leading jumps jockey in John McGifford.
D'Llaro revelled in his work at the head of the field and he never looked in any danger.
"Once we got to the front he got into a beautiful rhythm and jumped well," McLean said.
"I was thinking a lap out that we'll take some catching. It was great to be part of it."
D'Llaro took the last two flights cleanly and he held a strong gallop to win by three and a quarter lengths from the favourite Raisafuasho.
Typically, he got a long way back in the field and made ground solidly from the 800 metre mark while the next pair home were Ngatira Gold and Thenamesbond, who both raced close to the pace. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Cambridge horseman won the event aboard Vincere in 1987 and 1988 during his riding career and on Saturday he was proud as punch to add a training success in the Schweppes-sponsored feature.
"My father and my grandfather rode over fences and so did my brother Murray and I and after winning it twice on Vincere this is just great," Lord said.
"I'm just rapt and the bloke rode him a treat. He did exactly what I wanted him to."
Lord was referring to the Australian Brad McLean, who let D'Llaro take up his customary role in front after the first lap.
"I've had faith in the horse all the way through and the hardest thing was getting a rider – nobody wanted to stick with him so I got Brad to come over," said Lord, who races the 10-year-old with the estate of his late father Ivan, farrier Kim Hughes and another former leading jumps jockey in John McGifford.
D'Llaro revelled in his work at the head of the field and he never looked in any danger.
"Once we got to the front he got into a beautiful rhythm and jumped well," McLean said.
"I was thinking a lap out that we'll take some catching. It was great to be part of it."
D'Llaro took the last two flights cleanly and he held a strong gallop to win by three and a quarter lengths from the favourite Raisafuasho.
Typically, he got a long way back in the field and made ground solidly from the 800 metre mark while the next pair home were Ngatira Gold and Thenamesbond, who both raced close to the pace. – NZ Racing Desk.