Skyweka wins the Duoro Cup at Trentham
Photo- Race Images Palmerston North
Despite registering the best performance of her career with an emphatic win in Saturday's time-honoured Duoro Cup at Trentham, trainer Tony Pike is convinced his exciting galloper Skyweka is still a year away from being at the peak of her powers.
The rangy daughter of Pentire simply destroyed her rivals in the concluding stages of the John Turkington Forestry/Black Sticks sponsored 1600 metre contest suggesting a bright future lies ahead for the four-year-old mare.
Despite settling a clear last of the eleven runners in the event Skyweka was always travelling comfortably as the Michelle Payne ridden Caramac set up a solid tempo in front. Rider Michael McNab eased her off the fence as the field turned for home, angling for a run which presented itself at the 200 metre mark. McNab pushed the button and the mare dashed to the front to put the result beyond doubt in just a few strides.
At the winning post the margin was a comfortable two lengths from a wall of horses that included stablemate Nomisma who finished sixth after racing in restricted room over the concluding stages.
"She was very impressive today and without doubt it was the best performance of her career so far," noted Pike.
"It was a big test for her as she was stepping up to that grade for the first time and took on some pretty promising types. The Duoro Cup is always a tough race to win as it does tend to attract the next batch of up and coming stars so to get the win is very satisfying."
Pike was quick to acknowledge the best is still to come from the mare who was registering her fourth career win from just nine starts.
"I still think she is at least twelve months away from her best but she is an exciting prospect," he said.
"She has gone from strength to strength and I would expect at this time next year she will be ready to take on elite company if she keeps making that type of progress.
"She was off the bit in the early stages of this one which tends to suggest she will be looking for further in the future so I would think she could well be a cups contender in the spring."
Pike was also delighted with the run of stablemate Nomisma who was hemmed up on the rail for most of the run home.
"She probably needs to be out in the open and rolling to produce her best," he noted.
"It was the first time she had been stuck on the rail like that and she didn't really see daylight at any stage. I think if you reversed the runs the result may have been different as she is also a very promising galloper." - NZ Racing Desk
The rangy daughter of Pentire simply destroyed her rivals in the concluding stages of the John Turkington Forestry/Black Sticks sponsored 1600 metre contest suggesting a bright future lies ahead for the four-year-old mare.
Despite settling a clear last of the eleven runners in the event Skyweka was always travelling comfortably as the Michelle Payne ridden Caramac set up a solid tempo in front. Rider Michael McNab eased her off the fence as the field turned for home, angling for a run which presented itself at the 200 metre mark. McNab pushed the button and the mare dashed to the front to put the result beyond doubt in just a few strides.
At the winning post the margin was a comfortable two lengths from a wall of horses that included stablemate Nomisma who finished sixth after racing in restricted room over the concluding stages.
"She was very impressive today and without doubt it was the best performance of her career so far," noted Pike.
"It was a big test for her as she was stepping up to that grade for the first time and took on some pretty promising types. The Duoro Cup is always a tough race to win as it does tend to attract the next batch of up and coming stars so to get the win is very satisfying."
Pike was quick to acknowledge the best is still to come from the mare who was registering her fourth career win from just nine starts.
"I still think she is at least twelve months away from her best but she is an exciting prospect," he said.
"She has gone from strength to strength and I would expect at this time next year she will be ready to take on elite company if she keeps making that type of progress.
"She was off the bit in the early stages of this one which tends to suggest she will be looking for further in the future so I would think she could well be a cups contender in the spring."
Pike was also delighted with the run of stablemate Nomisma who was hemmed up on the rail for most of the run home.
"She probably needs to be out in the open and rolling to produce her best," he noted.
"It was the first time she had been stuck on the rail like that and she didn't really see daylight at any stage. I think if you reversed the runs the result may have been different as she is also a very promising galloper." - NZ Racing Desk