Blathwayt
Race Images Palmerston North
Talented stayer Blathwayt is to be the master of his own destiny.
The lightly-raced seven-year-old is at the crossroads of his spring and summer campaign with his performance on Saturday to decide his immediate future.
Blathwayt will head to Awapuni to defend his title in the Listed Ricoh Feilding Gold Cup, in which he will be reunited with Jonathan Riddell who has won five races on the son of Colombia.
"I've left him in the New Zealand Cup and we'll see how he goes at the weekend," part-owner and trainer Alby MacGregor said.
"It's up to him, but he would have to run fairly well for us to be going to Riccarton."
Not that MacGregor doesn't expect a bold showing from the gelding, who has turned in two solid performances this time around.
Blathwayt finished an encouraging fourth behind Ringo when he resumed in the Gr.3 Spring Sprint at Hawke's Bay and he was then seventh to Bel Sorisso in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap.
"I'm happy with the way he is coming up and he was good first up against the sprinters and, all in all, I don't think he went too badly at Trentham," MacGregor said.
"He missed the jump and then came wide on that heavy track. I know you can make a hundred excuses, but he was okay and he has done extremely well since the race."
Blathwayt has won seven races up to 2500 metres and one of his 10 placings was a runner-up finish in the Listed Taumarunui Gold Cup. – NZ Racing Desk.
The lightly-raced seven-year-old is at the crossroads of his spring and summer campaign with his performance on Saturday to decide his immediate future.
Blathwayt will head to Awapuni to defend his title in the Listed Ricoh Feilding Gold Cup, in which he will be reunited with Jonathan Riddell who has won five races on the son of Colombia.
"I've left him in the New Zealand Cup and we'll see how he goes at the weekend," part-owner and trainer Alby MacGregor said.
"It's up to him, but he would have to run fairly well for us to be going to Riccarton."
Not that MacGregor doesn't expect a bold showing from the gelding, who has turned in two solid performances this time around.
Blathwayt finished an encouraging fourth behind Ringo when he resumed in the Gr.3 Spring Sprint at Hawke's Bay and he was then seventh to Bel Sorisso in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap.
"I'm happy with the way he is coming up and he was good first up against the sprinters and, all in all, I don't think he went too badly at Trentham," MacGregor said.
"He missed the jump and then came wide on that heavy track. I know you can make a hundred excuses, but he was okay and he has done extremely well since the race."
Blathwayt has won seven races up to 2500 metres and one of his 10 placings was a runner-up finish in the Listed Taumarunui Gold Cup. – NZ Racing Desk.