Miss Seton Sands
Wayne Huddleston - Wild Range Photography
Rangiora based trainer Steven Woodsford is eyeing up a return to Trentham next month with his outstanding sprinter Miss Seton Sands.
The athletic four-year-old mare was having her first start since finishing a gallant second in the Gr. 1 Telegraph at Trentham last month when she downed a handy field of open grade sprinters at Wingatui on the weekend. The win has Woodsford convinced his charge can go one better should she head north for the Listed Lightning Handicap next month.
"She just hasn't stopped improving in this preparation and is thriving on the racing we have given her," he explained.
"I was a little worried on Saturday about whether the Telegraph run might have got to the bottom of her but she took it in her stride and came out and did the business.
"She had to be good to win on Saturday as it was a tidy field of locals that she met and she was giving weight to most of them.
"Racha (Cuneen) rode her perfectly as she has a devastating sprint when you can hold her up for one run and he did exactly the right thing with her. Even though they were getting to her close to the line I still felt she had them all covered."
Woodsford is excited about the future prospects for the daughter of Australian sire Gonski who he believes will be at her peak as a five-year-old.
"She was very consistent as a three-year-old but has stepped up in this campaign with some more time on her," he said.
"If she can make similar improvement next year then I believe she will be very competitive at the top level.
"She showed that with her run in the Telegraph and I would love to have another go to see if she can go one better.
"We're thinking of going back to Trentham for the Lightning Handicap next month then putting her away for a decent break which she has definitely earned now." – NZ Racing Desk
The athletic four-year-old mare was having her first start since finishing a gallant second in the Gr. 1 Telegraph at Trentham last month when she downed a handy field of open grade sprinters at Wingatui on the weekend. The win has Woodsford convinced his charge can go one better should she head north for the Listed Lightning Handicap next month.
"She just hasn't stopped improving in this preparation and is thriving on the racing we have given her," he explained.
"I was a little worried on Saturday about whether the Telegraph run might have got to the bottom of her but she took it in her stride and came out and did the business.
"She had to be good to win on Saturday as it was a tidy field of locals that she met and she was giving weight to most of them.
"Racha (Cuneen) rode her perfectly as she has a devastating sprint when you can hold her up for one run and he did exactly the right thing with her. Even though they were getting to her close to the line I still felt she had them all covered."
Woodsford is excited about the future prospects for the daughter of Australian sire Gonski who he believes will be at her peak as a five-year-old.
"She was very consistent as a three-year-old but has stepped up in this campaign with some more time on her," he said.
"If she can make similar improvement next year then I believe she will be very competitive at the top level.
"She showed that with her run in the Telegraph and I would love to have another go to see if she can go one better.
"We're thinking of going back to Trentham for the Lightning Handicap next month then putting her away for a decent break which she has definitely earned now." – NZ Racing Desk