Nina Arora
Trish Dunell
A stunning final charge carried promising winter galloper Nina Arora to a narrow victory in the last race at Ellerslie on Saturday in a finish that even had her trainer fooled.
Pukekohe mentor Nigel Tiley had given away the four-year-old mares chances in the closing stages as she battled in the testing ground after having her finishing run interrupted on several occasions. Most of the punters who had solidly supported the mare had done the same however rider Michael McNab was having none of that as he urged her for one final burst. To her credit Nina Arora found an extra effort and dashed the last few strides to nab a gallant Valante who had victory sewn up until that point.
"It wasn't until I heard George Simon say that she might have got there that I had any clue about what she had done," chuckled Tiley.
"With 100 metres to run I turned to one of the team and remarked that a placing would help us get a few more starts so it was a very pleasant surprise to get a win that I never even saw."
Tiley has plenty of time for the well-built daughter of Don Eduardo who has fought back from a broken bone in a hind leg to make her return to the track.
"She's a really good type who has plenty of ability but that injury cost her just when she was starting to put it all together last season," he noted.
"Being a Don Eduardo she is always going to be better with time and make into a pretty handy middle-distance horse.
"The problem we have had is getting a run for her as her rating is low so that's why I was happy when I thought she was going to run a place as the points she would get would make it easier to get another start.
"Now she has won I might have to reassess where we go with her but she does like the wet tracks so I don't think she will be hard to place in the coming weeks."
Tiley also reported that stable star Megablast is in good shape as he prepares for a flight to Melbourne next Sunday where he will make his Australian debut later in the month.
"He's on a plane next Sunday and provided all goes well will have a start at Moonee Valley on the 17th," he said.
"Safely through that I'll run him at Flemington a week later then he can come home and have a month at the beach." – NZ Racing Desk
Pukekohe mentor Nigel Tiley had given away the four-year-old mares chances in the closing stages as she battled in the testing ground after having her finishing run interrupted on several occasions. Most of the punters who had solidly supported the mare had done the same however rider Michael McNab was having none of that as he urged her for one final burst. To her credit Nina Arora found an extra effort and dashed the last few strides to nab a gallant Valante who had victory sewn up until that point.
"It wasn't until I heard George Simon say that she might have got there that I had any clue about what she had done," chuckled Tiley.
"With 100 metres to run I turned to one of the team and remarked that a placing would help us get a few more starts so it was a very pleasant surprise to get a win that I never even saw."
Tiley has plenty of time for the well-built daughter of Don Eduardo who has fought back from a broken bone in a hind leg to make her return to the track.
"She's a really good type who has plenty of ability but that injury cost her just when she was starting to put it all together last season," he noted.
"Being a Don Eduardo she is always going to be better with time and make into a pretty handy middle-distance horse.
"The problem we have had is getting a run for her as her rating is low so that's why I was happy when I thought she was going to run a place as the points she would get would make it easier to get another start.
"Now she has won I might have to reassess where we go with her but she does like the wet tracks so I don't think she will be hard to place in the coming weeks."
Tiley also reported that stable star Megablast is in good shape as he prepares for a flight to Melbourne next Sunday where he will make his Australian debut later in the month.
"He's on a plane next Sunday and provided all goes well will have a start at Moonee Valley on the 17th," he said.
"Safely through that I'll run him at Flemington a week later then he can come home and have a month at the beach." – NZ Racing Desk