Perfect Fit
Trish Dunell
Local mare Perfect Fit showed the benefit of her recent summer spell when she scorched home in a blistering 1.08.32 for the 1200 metre journey of Saturday's Waikato Stud sponsored open handicap at Matamata.
Trainers Ken & Bev Kelso had sent the four-year-old Elusive City mare to the paddock for a quick freshen up after she finished second to promising galloper Mabeel at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. The benefit of that decision was clearly in evidence on Saturday as she destroyed her opposition with a punishing front-running performance that stopped the clock a tick outside the 1200 metre track record set by Group One performer Recite in teh corresponding event last year.
Kelso was delighted with run as he looks ahead to an attempt at stakes company with the mare during the upcoming Auckland Cup Week at Ellerslie.
"She's always shown us plenty of promise and I've said before I think she is a Group One mare in the making," he said when interviewed after the race.
"She's taken a little time but we've been patient with her as I think she has a huge future.
"We gave a her a couple of weeks in the paddock after her last run and came here today to give her a good hit-out before we head to Ellerslie with her.
"We've got the Westbury Classic on Auckland Cup Day as her aim. She probably needed a few rating points to get into the race so she should have achieved that today."
The win completed a double on the day for the Kelso's and rider Michael Coleman who had won the first race with progressive mare Aotearower. The only disappointment in that win was for well known part-owner Hamish Bond who had tried to incorporate watching the mare's race in with a training ride on his bicycle after a session on the water at Lake Karapiro. The Olympic gold medallist rower arrived on course just seconds after the mare had crossed the finish line and admitted next time he would have to pedal a little faster to catch the winning action. – NZ Racing Desk
Trainers Ken & Bev Kelso had sent the four-year-old Elusive City mare to the paddock for a quick freshen up after she finished second to promising galloper Mabeel at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. The benefit of that decision was clearly in evidence on Saturday as she destroyed her opposition with a punishing front-running performance that stopped the clock a tick outside the 1200 metre track record set by Group One performer Recite in teh corresponding event last year.
Kelso was delighted with run as he looks ahead to an attempt at stakes company with the mare during the upcoming Auckland Cup Week at Ellerslie.
"She's always shown us plenty of promise and I've said before I think she is a Group One mare in the making," he said when interviewed after the race.
"She's taken a little time but we've been patient with her as I think she has a huge future.
"We gave a her a couple of weeks in the paddock after her last run and came here today to give her a good hit-out before we head to Ellerslie with her.
"We've got the Westbury Classic on Auckland Cup Day as her aim. She probably needed a few rating points to get into the race so she should have achieved that today."
The win completed a double on the day for the Kelso's and rider Michael Coleman who had won the first race with progressive mare Aotearower. The only disappointment in that win was for well known part-owner Hamish Bond who had tried to incorporate watching the mare's race in with a training ride on his bicycle after a session on the water at Lake Karapiro. The Olympic gold medallist rower arrived on course just seconds after the mare had crossed the finish line and admitted next time he would have to pedal a little faster to catch the winning action. – NZ Racing Desk