Consistent gelding Chairman will be looking to make it three wins from four starts on the Riccarton Synthetic when he heads to the Christchurch meeting on Friday to contest the Gift Station Rating 75 (1600m).
The four-year-old son of Charm Spirit has been in outstanding form since joining trainer Richard Didham’s Aylesbury barn earlier this year, primarily on Riccarton’s polytrack, and Didham believes his charge is capable of furthering his tally on the track this week where he will be ridden by Leah Hemi.
“Chairman is in the right race again,” Didham said. “He won a (rating) 75 1400m in his last start and it’s a 75 1600m this week, and he has already won over 1600m on the synthetic. It looks an ideal race.”
Didham isn’t afraid of stepping Chairman out on the turf but said he will keep him to the synthetic surface for now.
“He has only had one go on the grass for me, where he ran third and got home well that day, so that (grass tracks) is not a problem either,” he said.
“There is one more synthetic day on the 24th of August, there are a couple of options for him there.”
Evergreen galloper King Cougar is set to make his debut for the stable after he was purchased for $3,000 off gavelhouse.com.
The 10-year-old gelding has won 11 of his 101 starts, including his last two for former trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman, and Didham can’t see any reason why he can’t add to that record.
“One of our owners that we have had for many years decided to buy him,” Didham said. “He is a nice horse to take away and do anything with. He will improve with the run.
“He is as sound as a bell and his work has been terrific. I can’t see why he can’t keep on picking up a cheque every week.
“Tomorrow will be a nice blow out for him to get ready for some bigger stakes.”
Didham will also line-up Analyst and La Cerveza.
“Analyst was really good last start in a rating 75 and drops back multiple grades back to a rating 60,” he said.
“La Cerveza has already placed second and fourth on the synthetic at Cambridge and he did run really well for me last prep when fourth. I have taken all the gear back off and I am expecting a nice run from him too.”
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