Balham
Trish Dunell
A comprehensive victory at Te Rapa on the weekend will see progressive galloper Balham head to his winter spelling paddock with a brace of wins under his belt and the promise that he will be a force to be reckoned with when the major staying races roll around next summer.
The five-year-old Don Eduardo gelding made light work of a 59.5 kilogram impost as he comfortably held out a stern challenge from Diesel and second favourite Private Hero in a driving finish to the Guild & Spence Electrical sponsored 2400 metre rating 85 event.
Co-trainer Emma Haworth, who prepares the gelding with father David, was delighted with the performance although she admitted she had her doubts when rider Mark Du Plessis pushed the go button on his charge early in the run home.
"He hit the front pretty early in the run home and for a second or two I wondered whether Mark had gone too early," she said.
"I asked him about it when he came back in and he said he didn't want to be chasing hard when he was carrying such a big weight. He was very strong to the line so it was the right thing to do even if it did get the heart racing a little."
Although it took the son of stakes winning mare Fifty Fifty eight starts to break maiden status after kicking off his career as a late three-year-old, Haworth believes the best of the gelding will be seen in the coming season.
"He's never really gone a bad race but just wasn't really strong enough in his first few starts to close out a victory," she said.
"He's got better and better each campaign and this time in he's been very good which is exciting when we look ahead to next season. He doesn't cope with the wet tracks so it's probably a good time to give him a decent break.
"He seems to thrive when racing over ground so we will be looking at those good Cup races with him. He has a lovely turn of foot at the business end of a race so if he can make further improvement over his break then he could be in for a very good summer." – NZ Racing Desk
The five-year-old Don Eduardo gelding made light work of a 59.5 kilogram impost as he comfortably held out a stern challenge from Diesel and second favourite Private Hero in a driving finish to the Guild & Spence Electrical sponsored 2400 metre rating 85 event.
Co-trainer Emma Haworth, who prepares the gelding with father David, was delighted with the performance although she admitted she had her doubts when rider Mark Du Plessis pushed the go button on his charge early in the run home.
"He hit the front pretty early in the run home and for a second or two I wondered whether Mark had gone too early," she said.
"I asked him about it when he came back in and he said he didn't want to be chasing hard when he was carrying such a big weight. He was very strong to the line so it was the right thing to do even if it did get the heart racing a little."
Although it took the son of stakes winning mare Fifty Fifty eight starts to break maiden status after kicking off his career as a late three-year-old, Haworth believes the best of the gelding will be seen in the coming season.
"He's never really gone a bad race but just wasn't really strong enough in his first few starts to close out a victory," she said.
"He's got better and better each campaign and this time in he's been very good which is exciting when we look ahead to next season. He doesn't cope with the wet tracks so it's probably a good time to give him a decent break.
"He seems to thrive when racing over ground so we will be looking at those good Cup races with him. He has a lovely turn of foot at the business end of a race so if he can make further improvement over his break then he could be in for a very good summer." – NZ Racing Desk
