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Local galloper Shadows Cast could not have been more impressive as he concluded his preparation for a Group One assignment with a hollow victory in open company at Awapuni.
The showy chestnut treated his four rivals with contempt as he raced away in the final stages of the Central ITM Premier (1400) to score by a widening margin. Rider Alysha Collett had time to take a long look over her left shoulder as she hit the finish line but all she saw was daylight as Slimline battled on strongly to claim second, albeit over two lengths in arrears of the winner.
The Mark Oulaghan trained five-year-old was having his first start since dead-heating for the major spoils in the Gr. 2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton back in November with his trainer confident he would take improvement out of the run.
“He had close to three weeks off when he came back from Riccarton so there probably is some improvement in him although he looked pretty close to the mark today,” he said.
“He has really grown up in this campaign and I think you can see that in his performances. He has always had ability and has compiled a fairly handy record but there’s just something extra this time around.
“He was very impressive today and to my mind that was the best run I’ve seen him put in.”
Oulaghan will now look to the Gr. 1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) on 20 January as the next challenge for the Per Incanto gelding, who has won eight of his 23 career starts.
“We do have the Thorndon Mile as his next target, provided he pulls up well from today’s effort,” he said.
“It looks like being a top field, but he has earned his place and I think he can measure up.
“After that we might tip him out, but we will play that by ear as it will depend on how he comes through it all.”
The Thorndon Mile is one of three feature events to be run at Trentham on 20 January with the Gr. 1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) and Gr. 3 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup (3200m) also on the programme. – NZ Racing Desk