Scapolo
Trish Dunell
Few feature race wins come more easily than Scapolo's victory romp at Rotorua in the hands of Sam Spratt.
Neither horse nor rider were blowing after they coasted home in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes by four and a half lengths on Saturday.
"It was as easy as it looked," Spratt said. "It's pretty cool to ride a horse like him – it makes life a whole lot easier."
Scapolo, who finished runner-up to the Group One-winning sprinter Ryan Mark in the event 12 months ago, sat back before he was asked to circle the field and come widest at the top of the straight.
Under a soft ride from Spratt, the Bachelor Duke gelding strode clear to thump the last-start Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders' Stakes winner Underthemoonlight by four and a half lengths with North And South taking third money in front of Nomisma.
"He was the best rated horse in the race and at weight-for-age on that track he had everything going for him," Spratt said.
Scapolo has now won 16 of his 47 starts for trainer Kevin Myers and he is the equal $10 favourite with Seize The Moment and Son of Maher for the Gr.2 Coupland's Bakeries Mile, a race he won in 2013, at Riccarton on November 9.
Spratt has rarely teamed up with Myers, but they have an outstanding strike rate together with three wins from five starts.
"I won the Rotorua Cup on Balmuse for Kevin a few years ago and the only other winner was down south," she said. "I don't mind picking up the odd ride – we've done pretty well." – NZ Racing Desk.
Neither horse nor rider were blowing after they coasted home in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes by four and a half lengths on Saturday.
"It was as easy as it looked," Spratt said. "It's pretty cool to ride a horse like him – it makes life a whole lot easier."
Scapolo, who finished runner-up to the Group One-winning sprinter Ryan Mark in the event 12 months ago, sat back before he was asked to circle the field and come widest at the top of the straight.
Under a soft ride from Spratt, the Bachelor Duke gelding strode clear to thump the last-start Gr.3 Taranaki Breeders' Stakes winner Underthemoonlight by four and a half lengths with North And South taking third money in front of Nomisma.
"He was the best rated horse in the race and at weight-for-age on that track he had everything going for him," Spratt said.
Scapolo has now won 16 of his 47 starts for trainer Kevin Myers and he is the equal $10 favourite with Seize The Moment and Son of Maher for the Gr.2 Coupland's Bakeries Mile, a race he won in 2013, at Riccarton on November 9.
Spratt has rarely teamed up with Myers, but they have an outstanding strike rate together with three wins from five starts.
"I won the Rotorua Cup on Balmuse for Kevin a few years ago and the only other winner was down south," she said. "I don't mind picking up the odd ride – we've done pretty well." – NZ Racing Desk.
