North Canterbury trainers John and Karen Parsons would get no greater satisfaction than seeing veteran stayer Camino Rocoso win the Positive Signs And Print Cromwell Cup (2030m) for a third time on Sunday.
The husband and wife trainers produced the nine-year-old gelding for Cromwell Cup wins in 2019 and 2020, though he blotted his copybook with a ninth placing in last year’s feature, a race John Parsons won in 1996 with Luskin Lass.
“He’s spot on for Sunday. He’s extra well at the moment and we’re expecting him to run well,” Karen Parsons said.
“To win this race with this horse for a third time would mean everything to us and his owners. It would be great.”
Parsons was forgiving of Camino Rocoso’s unplaced last-start run at Riccarton, happy to use his previous start win at Ashburton to garner confidence for Sunday’s race.
“He missed Jason Laking at Riccarton last time. Jason and him get on like a house on fire,” she said.
“He’d been working really well ahead of his first-up win and we’d expected him to run well. He’s come through his Riccarton run well so he should go well again this weekend.”
Parsons said a big factor to the stable’s success at Cromwell was basing the team at Alexandra with Central Otago identity Peter Lyon.
“Peter keeps a big paddock for us and keeps it irrigated and it’s just a beautiful place to stay,” Parsons said.
“It’s like they are staying at the Hilton. They get to the races in terrific order.”
The Parsons will also produce Rainman in the Cromwell Cup and are pleased with him going into the race.
“He didn’t really get much of a go at Riccarton last time and he’s come through that well. He’s a horse who doesn’t really get 2200m; he goes his best at 2000m so this weekend’s race suits him.”
Other Parsons runners accepted to race at Cromwell on Sunday are Koputaroa, My Degree, Neon Moon, Colossal and Final Savings.
“Colossal is hard fit and ready and goes well for Tina (Comignaghi). And Koputaroa is working well too,” Parsons said.