Authentic Paddy winning the Coca Cola Canterbury Gold Cup
Race Images South
Authentic Paddy lifted the spirits of trainer Lisa Latta when gaining a deserved black type win at Riccarton today.
"It's been a pretty ordinary day for us today so it was great to see him win," said Latta, who was at Ellerslie and watched the Trackside coverage of Authentic Paddy's win in the Gr. 3 Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup.
"He deserved it and I thought he'd be hard to beat.
"This is the first time I've got him 100 per cent again since I put him out after the Zabeel Classic.
"I gave him three weeks in the paddock, thinking I was doing the right thing with him, but he just got too fat. I have been struggling to get the weight back off him."
Despite being overweight, Authentic Paddy finished fourth in the Haunui Farm Group One WFA at Otaki and fifth in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup in the most recent of his three starts since his third to Kawi in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic.
Authentic Paddy has raced in top company since his previous win at Awapuni last November, including a second in the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes and the Gr.3 Counties Cup to go with his Zabeel Classic and Otaki Group One efforts, and in all bar a couple of those outings regular rider Robert Hannam has been in the saddle.
Hannam was again aboard today and had Authentic Paddy travelling nicely in front with the 2015 Wellington Cup winner Maygrove tracking him most of the way.
Authentic Paddy kicked strongly on straightening and maintained his lead to score by a half neck and hold out a strong late bid by Benzini, while Scapolo ran on solidly along the fence for third, shading Maygrove.
Authentic Paddy took his record to 10 wins from 53 starts and boosted his stake earnings beyond $360,000, but Latta now has a problem with the son of Howbaddouwantit.
"There's not much more around for him, but I'll have to find something," said Latta. "I can't afford to put him out for too long as it will be too hard to get the weight off him. I've learnt that." – NZ Racing Desk.
"It's been a pretty ordinary day for us today so it was great to see him win," said Latta, who was at Ellerslie and watched the Trackside coverage of Authentic Paddy's win in the Gr. 3 Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup.
"He deserved it and I thought he'd be hard to beat.
"This is the first time I've got him 100 per cent again since I put him out after the Zabeel Classic.
"I gave him three weeks in the paddock, thinking I was doing the right thing with him, but he just got too fat. I have been struggling to get the weight back off him."
Despite being overweight, Authentic Paddy finished fourth in the Haunui Farm Group One WFA at Otaki and fifth in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup in the most recent of his three starts since his third to Kawi in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic.
Authentic Paddy has raced in top company since his previous win at Awapuni last November, including a second in the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes and the Gr.3 Counties Cup to go with his Zabeel Classic and Otaki Group One efforts, and in all bar a couple of those outings regular rider Robert Hannam has been in the saddle.
Hannam was again aboard today and had Authentic Paddy travelling nicely in front with the 2015 Wellington Cup winner Maygrove tracking him most of the way.
Authentic Paddy kicked strongly on straightening and maintained his lead to score by a half neck and hold out a strong late bid by Benzini, while Scapolo ran on solidly along the fence for third, shading Maygrove.
Authentic Paddy took his record to 10 wins from 53 starts and boosted his stake earnings beyond $360,000, but Latta now has a problem with the son of Howbaddouwantit.
"There's not much more around for him, but I'll have to find something," said Latta. "I can't afford to put him out for too long as it will be too hard to get the weight off him. I've learnt that." – NZ Racing Desk.
