Five To Midnight
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Promising stayer Five To Midnight showed he was ready to step up to greater challenges over the coming weeks with a comprehensive victory at Trentham.
The Lisa Latta trained galloper has been nominated for the major northern staying features over the summer months. On Saturday he put his rivals on notice with a brutal home straight sprint that carried him two and a half lengths clear at the finish of the Vale Bill Skelton MBE Premier open handicap (2100m).
Although the four-year-old gelding started a warm favourite in the event, owner Kevin Pratt had some doubts about his fitness after he missed a start in last week's Wanganui Cup due to the abandonment of the meeting.
"I was really worried as he needed the run last week," said Price after the race.
"I was pretty frustrated actually. We've got to get something done about these tracks as we've had six cancelled meetings."
Price also admitted he had some fleeting doubts when rider Darryl Bradley looped the field to issue issued his challenge on the home bend after enjoying a lovely run throughout the race.
"I was thinking Darryl, don't let me down, Darryl when he was four wide turning for home," he laughed.
"But he did it well and he is a good horse."
Pratt will now firm up plans with Latta as to the gelding's path for the rest of the summer.
"I'm not sure where Lisa's going but we did talk about going to Auckland at one stage," he said.
"I think it will maybe back to Manawatu and then on to Auckland and the Avondale Cup."
In a fitting tribute to champion rider Bill Skelton, who's funeral was held at Trentham on Friday, all jockeys riding on Saturday assembled in the birdcage for a minute of silence prior to the event that was named in his honour. – NZ Racing Desk
The Lisa Latta trained galloper has been nominated for the major northern staying features over the summer months. On Saturday he put his rivals on notice with a brutal home straight sprint that carried him two and a half lengths clear at the finish of the Vale Bill Skelton MBE Premier open handicap (2100m).
Although the four-year-old gelding started a warm favourite in the event, owner Kevin Pratt had some doubts about his fitness after he missed a start in last week's Wanganui Cup due to the abandonment of the meeting.
"I was really worried as he needed the run last week," said Price after the race.
"I was pretty frustrated actually. We've got to get something done about these tracks as we've had six cancelled meetings."
Price also admitted he had some fleeting doubts when rider Darryl Bradley looped the field to issue issued his challenge on the home bend after enjoying a lovely run throughout the race.
"I was thinking Darryl, don't let me down, Darryl when he was four wide turning for home," he laughed.
"But he did it well and he is a good horse."
Pratt will now firm up plans with Latta as to the gelding's path for the rest of the summer.
"I'm not sure where Lisa's going but we did talk about going to Auckland at one stage," he said.
"I think it will maybe back to Manawatu and then on to Auckland and the Avondale Cup."
In a fitting tribute to champion rider Bill Skelton, who's funeral was held at Trentham on Friday, all jockeys riding on Saturday assembled in the birdcage for a minute of silence prior to the event that was named in his honour. – NZ Racing Desk