Meeska Mooska
Trish Dunell
A decision to bypass last week's Gr.3 Rotorua Cup might bear fruit for connections of Meeska Mooska at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Cambridge trainers Graeme Thomas and Nick Smith opted out of sending the five-year-old gelding to Rotorua when he was "a little quiet" the Wednesday before the race and have now set their sights on winning Saturday's Abel Holdings at Te Rapa 1400.
"He's nice and bright now and I'm glad I didn't send him to Rotorua. It wouldn't have been easy for him the way the track played," Thomas said.
"This looks an easier option and the stake is still quite good. I'd prefer it if one of those higher-rated horses that were nominated had stayed in the race though and we didn't have to carry so much weight, but he did win with 60kg at Rotorua very well, though that was down in grade."
Meeska Mooska has 57kg to carry at his first open company appearance and apprentice Anna Jones is unable to claim her 1kg allowance as she has for his Rating 75 win at Tauranga and Rating 85 win at Te Rapa at his last two starts.
"It's hard to win three in a row but we're happy with him. He's won on a slow track before and he likes Te Rapa," Thomas said.
"He's got a high-cruising speed and left alone the other day, he was able to find a good kick and win well. He probably won't get it that easy on Saturday but he doesn't have to lead either. He's just as good when he takes a sit."
Meeska Mooska will spell after Saturday's race and return for premier-day racing at Hastings in the spring.
"We'll probably just look at the support races but we think he can win a decent race next season. We'd like to think he can win a Cups race because he loves those longer distances and if you watch him after the post, he's always the last horse to pull up." - NZ Racing Desk.
Cambridge trainers Graeme Thomas and Nick Smith opted out of sending the five-year-old gelding to Rotorua when he was "a little quiet" the Wednesday before the race and have now set their sights on winning Saturday's Abel Holdings at Te Rapa 1400.
"He's nice and bright now and I'm glad I didn't send him to Rotorua. It wouldn't have been easy for him the way the track played," Thomas said.
"This looks an easier option and the stake is still quite good. I'd prefer it if one of those higher-rated horses that were nominated had stayed in the race though and we didn't have to carry so much weight, but he did win with 60kg at Rotorua very well, though that was down in grade."
Meeska Mooska has 57kg to carry at his first open company appearance and apprentice Anna Jones is unable to claim her 1kg allowance as she has for his Rating 75 win at Tauranga and Rating 85 win at Te Rapa at his last two starts.
"It's hard to win three in a row but we're happy with him. He's won on a slow track before and he likes Te Rapa," Thomas said.
"He's got a high-cruising speed and left alone the other day, he was able to find a good kick and win well. He probably won't get it that easy on Saturday but he doesn't have to lead either. He's just as good when he takes a sit."
Meeska Mooska will spell after Saturday's race and return for premier-day racing at Hastings in the spring.
"We'll probably just look at the support races but we think he can win a decent race next season. We'd like to think he can win a Cups race because he loves those longer distances and if you watch him after the post, he's always the last horse to pull up." - NZ Racing Desk.
