A journey down to Invercargill’s Ascot Park Racecourse paid off for Bruce Tapper on Sunday, with the Timaru horseman claiming the Washrite & Hyde Landscaping Winton Cup (1400m) with Redford (NZ) (Raise The Flag).
Redford jumped from the ace draw and travelled comfortably midfield along the fence under leading Southern hoop Tina Comignaghi, who made her move aboard the son of Raise The Flag around the 700m mark, cruising into contention despite the testing Heavy8 track conditions and entered the home straight four-wide.
The pair looked to be running away with the feature event before the Kelvin Tyler-trained Go Lotte (NZ) (Telperion) stormed home late, Redford just holding on by a nose in a photo finish.
“The horse has been very well and he’s been a bit unlucky last start, and with Tina on he had to be a good chance,” Tapper said.
Comignaghi, who had claimed three runner-up placings during the Invercargill meeting before Redford’s victory has a strong record with the nine-year-old, producing her third win aboard Tapper’s charge in his five career victories.
Tapper has no immediate plans for Redford but may target the Open 1400m event on the final Saturday (November 18) of the upcoming New Zealand Cup Week carnival at Riccarton Park.
“He’s just been a bit unlucky in those top races, he’s always thereabouts but never can win one of them so that’s why I decided to come down to Ascot Park today,” he said.
Redford was bred by Tapper and wife Karen out of their four-win mare Ruby Red, and the gelding has now earned over $120,000 in prizemoney for the Timaru couple.
