First Honour
Trish Dunell
Punters were left reeling after the fourth race at Ellerslie on Saturday when enigmatic Cambridge galloper First Honour upset the applecart in the Swiss Deli sponsored 2100 metre contest.
A perennial placegetter in his early days who took 11 races to break maidens, First Honour has now made it three wins from his last four starts and has developed a penchant for winning in a fresh state. The Duke of Marmalade five-year-old hadn't raced since finishing near last in April with a 1200 metre trial earlier in the month his only public appearance since then.
None of that mattered on Saturday however as rider Lynsey Satherley bounced him into a handy position from a wide barrier before a securing a lovely run just behind the speed. Produced for a challenge at the 300 metre mark the gelding dug deep as he held out a host of challengers in the closing stages to score a gritty half length victory.
Co-trainer Trevor Cruz, who prepares the gelding with his brother Martin for their mother Angel, was all smiles after the event.
"We've just been waiting for the tracks to come right so hopefully we will see a bit more of him now," he said.
"I thought he could run well today given the track was a Dead4. I was expecting him to run a place but good on him, he's done the business.
Cruz doesn't have any major plans for the gelding however he is keen to have him back at Ellerslie, where he has won two of his three career victories, with the level of prizemoney on offer.
"We'll see how he gets on now as we would like to move him through the grades but we will have to see how comes through this one," he explained.
"It's definitely handy that he likes Ellerslie."
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman trained Lizzie L'Amour was sent out a warm favourite in the contest but weakened on her challenge in the concluding stages to finish a well beaten fifth. - NZ Racing Desk
A perennial placegetter in his early days who took 11 races to break maidens, First Honour has now made it three wins from his last four starts and has developed a penchant for winning in a fresh state. The Duke of Marmalade five-year-old hadn't raced since finishing near last in April with a 1200 metre trial earlier in the month his only public appearance since then.
None of that mattered on Saturday however as rider Lynsey Satherley bounced him into a handy position from a wide barrier before a securing a lovely run just behind the speed. Produced for a challenge at the 300 metre mark the gelding dug deep as he held out a host of challengers in the closing stages to score a gritty half length victory.
Co-trainer Trevor Cruz, who prepares the gelding with his brother Martin for their mother Angel, was all smiles after the event.
"We've just been waiting for the tracks to come right so hopefully we will see a bit more of him now," he said.
"I thought he could run well today given the track was a Dead4. I was expecting him to run a place but good on him, he's done the business.
Cruz doesn't have any major plans for the gelding however he is keen to have him back at Ellerslie, where he has won two of his three career victories, with the level of prizemoney on offer.
"We'll see how he gets on now as we would like to move him through the grades but we will have to see how comes through this one," he explained.
"It's definitely handy that he likes Ellerslie."
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman trained Lizzie L'Amour was sent out a warm favourite in the contest but weakened on her challenge in the concluding stages to finish a well beaten fifth. - NZ Racing Desk
