By Adam Hamilton
Gifted Aussie pacer Captain Ravishing will target next month’s New Zealand Cup after his shock late scratching from the Victoria Cup.
Trainer Ahmed Taiba was forced to withdraw the four-year-old just hours before the Cup with an elevated temperature. Outsider Act Now went to win a star-studded Cup, paying $72 for the win.
“It’s nothing serious, but horse welfare has to come first and we didn’t want to take any risk with him at all,” Taiba said.
Taiba and his brother, Hass, recently made the late entry payment for Captain Ravishing to tackle the NZ Cup.
“That’s the target now,” Taiba said. “It’s a real shame to miss this race (Victoria Cup) because he was ready to run really well.
“I’d been able to get five weeks of good, consistent work into him and he was so much better than when he ran third in the Eureka.
“For him to run as well as he did in the Eureka really gave us confidence going ahead, knowing how much he could improve with a better preparation.
“We’ve got time on our side now to get him right for NZ.”
Taiba said he would look to head over for at least one NZ lead-up race.
“We had Sushi Sushi go across for the Kaikoura Cup and know the value in going early to settle in,” he said.
“We’ll get through the next week or then lock in some plans.”
