Shadows Cast (inner)
Race Images Palmerston North
Mark Oulaghan put two previous Trentham defeats with Shadows Cast behind him on Saturday when the three-year-old showed his true worth.
The Awapuni trainer's fortunes belatedly turned around with the son of Per Incanto, who was successful for the third time in his short career when proving too good in the Have Faith In Me Cup.
"He's a good galloper and he's been a bit unlucky in his two runs here before," Oulaghan said.
Shadows Cast finished sixth in the Gr.1 Levin Classic behind Dukedom and last time out he came from the tail of the field to finish less than five lengths off The Justice League in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas.
"He had far too much ground to make up," Oulaghan said. "He's got the ability, but in the Group races you have to have everything go your way."
Bad luck was taken out of the equation on Saturday for Shadows Cast, who showed his talent when runner-up in the spring to the subsequent Gr.1 Australian Derby winner Tavago in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes at Otaki.
In a small field, rider Lisa Allpress took Shadows Cast to the front and he dug deeply in the run home to repel the challenge of Beefeater.
"I couldn't see a lot of pace in the race so if we could get an easy lead he would be out of trouble and it all panned out," Oulaghan said. "That's probably it for him for the season now."
Meanwhile, Oulaghan's jumping team for the winter will be headed by last winter's Manawatu Steeplechase winner Upper Cut.
"He's by the far the best performed of them," he said. "He had a bit of a problem at the end of the last jumping season with a leg issue, but he seems pretty good now and he's got all the ability." – NZ Racing Desk.
The Awapuni trainer's fortunes belatedly turned around with the son of Per Incanto, who was successful for the third time in his short career when proving too good in the Have Faith In Me Cup.
"He's a good galloper and he's been a bit unlucky in his two runs here before," Oulaghan said.
Shadows Cast finished sixth in the Gr.1 Levin Classic behind Dukedom and last time out he came from the tail of the field to finish less than five lengths off The Justice League in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas.
"He had far too much ground to make up," Oulaghan said. "He's got the ability, but in the Group races you have to have everything go your way."
Bad luck was taken out of the equation on Saturday for Shadows Cast, who showed his talent when runner-up in the spring to the subsequent Gr.1 Australian Derby winner Tavago in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes at Otaki.
In a small field, rider Lisa Allpress took Shadows Cast to the front and he dug deeply in the run home to repel the challenge of Beefeater.
"I couldn't see a lot of pace in the race so if we could get an easy lead he would be out of trouble and it all panned out," Oulaghan said. "That's probably it for him for the season now."
Meanwhile, Oulaghan's jumping team for the winter will be headed by last winter's Manawatu Steeplechase winner Upper Cut.
"He's by the far the best performed of them," he said. "He had a bit of a problem at the end of the last jumping season with a leg issue, but he seems pretty good now and he's got all the ability." – NZ Racing Desk.