Trish Dunell
Rikki Tikki Tavi continued a lucrative preparation with further success at Ellerslie on Saturday.
The Ruakaka-prepared mare had won by a narrow margin in Rating 75 company on the course seven days previously and she stepped up in grade to stage a repeat performance with a slender victory in the Winger Maserati 1200m.
The Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs -trained Tavistock four-year-old has been beaten just once in five appearances this campaign and had to overcome a wide barrier in her most recent success.
“She quickened up smartly as I had to go back from a wide barrier and the splits came in the straight,” regular rider Samantha Collett said.
“Full credit to the Logan and Gibbs camp, they wouldn’t have backed her up if she wasn’t up to it.”
Rikki Tikki Tavi was at the tail of the field on the home turn and she got home strongly to beat Ja Binks and Howbowdat in a driving finish.
“She was very brave, she’s not very big but she’s tough,” Gibbs said.
The stable had also won the previous event, the Crombie Lockwood 2100m with the consistent Richie McHorse.
A winner at Ruakaka four runs back, he had finished runner-up in two subsequent appearances before further success at Ellerslie.
By Redoute’s Choice out of the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Boundless, the five-year-old is raced by breeders Trelawney Stud.
Richie McHorse won his first two races from the stable of Team Rogerson before he transferred to his current quarters to take advantage of the Ruakaka environment and ease the load on his legs.
“We just work him on the beach in straight lines,” Gibbs said. – NZ Racing Desk.
Video replay: Rikki Tikki Tavi winning the Winger Maserati 1200m