Nitro Ted
Race Images Palmerston North
There aren't many meetings that go by on the Hawera track without the locals tasting victory and that honour was upheld by the Paul Pascoe trained Nitro Ted on the weekend when he produced a dashing display in the Egmont Tyres sponsored 2100 metre contest.
The six-year-old Citi Habit gelding had his supporters cheering a long way from home when in form apprentice Tim Johnson set him alight from the rear of the thirteen horse field to swoop on the leaders as they approached the home turn. Maintaining a strong gallop the gelding put the issue beyond doubt as he dashed two lengths clear as they straightened and maintained the advantage to the winning post despite some wayward movements in the closing stages.
Pascoe was thrilled with the home track victory and admitted his confidence in his charge had him contemplating a start in the main staying race on the program, the Egmont Cup, earlier in the week.
"His run last time in a higher grade was big," he said after the race.
"If you ride him in behind he panics so you've got to go wide and ride him like it's the worst you've ever seen.
"That's the way he goes best as he's not very big but he's tough.
"I was umming and aahing about whether to start in the Cup but he'll keep so next year we might."
The victory kicked off a winning double for Johnson who took out the feature event, the Gr. 3 Rich Hill Stud Taranaki Breeders Stakes, on Underthemoonlight later in the day. The young rider, who has sprung to prominence in recent months, was full of praise for his charge.
"He's a horse who doesn't like being in behind the others and just needs room," he said.
"I didn't panic when I got back as I knew he could come wide so I let him rip and he just dashed around them.
"He ducked in a bit but that's just him, it was a nice win." – NZ Racing Desk
The six-year-old Citi Habit gelding had his supporters cheering a long way from home when in form apprentice Tim Johnson set him alight from the rear of the thirteen horse field to swoop on the leaders as they approached the home turn. Maintaining a strong gallop the gelding put the issue beyond doubt as he dashed two lengths clear as they straightened and maintained the advantage to the winning post despite some wayward movements in the closing stages.
Pascoe was thrilled with the home track victory and admitted his confidence in his charge had him contemplating a start in the main staying race on the program, the Egmont Cup, earlier in the week.
"His run last time in a higher grade was big," he said after the race.
"If you ride him in behind he panics so you've got to go wide and ride him like it's the worst you've ever seen.
"That's the way he goes best as he's not very big but he's tough.
"I was umming and aahing about whether to start in the Cup but he'll keep so next year we might."
The victory kicked off a winning double for Johnson who took out the feature event, the Gr. 3 Rich Hill Stud Taranaki Breeders Stakes, on Underthemoonlight later in the day. The young rider, who has sprung to prominence in recent months, was full of praise for his charge.
"He's a horse who doesn't like being in behind the others and just needs room," he said.
"I didn't panic when I got back as I knew he could come wide so I let him rip and he just dashed around them.
"He ducked in a bit but that's just him, it was a nice win." – NZ Racing Desk