Town Cryer (NZ) (Tavistock) will have an opportunity to better last year’s runner-up finish in the Gr.1 HKJC World Pool New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) next month, in what will be the penultimate start to her final racing campaign.
The seven-year-old daughter of Tavistock has accumulated eight wins and over $550,000 in stakes earnings in a 39 start-career, with most of her success coming in the last two seasons. A two-time Group Three winner, Town Cryer finished second to Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto) in last year’s running of the Breeders’, and more recently, she came within a long neck of the winner (Provence (NZ) (Savabeel)) in the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m).
With the end of a brilliant career looming, her trainer Roydon Bergerson is looking forward to heading back to Ellerslie after the mare stuck on bravely to finish eighth in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) last start on Karaka Millions Night.
“We may just wait for the Breeders with her, we’re mulling it over with the owners,” he said. “She may have a quiet trial in between times and go back to the Breeders instead of the Otaki race (Gr.1, 1600m), we had Gryllsy (Craig Grylls) to ride her but now with Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) in, we’re more likely to miss that and concentrate on the Breeders.
“It was a good run the other day, but it was just frustrating that they took her on. I did feel as though we shouldn’t be having three-kilo claiming apprentices riding in races on our biggest night, with the world watching. Our industry is trying to bring up the standard of racing here to a global level and having kids on horses in high-pressure races does not reflect that.
“But Craig Williams (jockey) was full of praise for the horse, he said she was really strong in the last 100m. We had a go because it was a $700,000 fillies and mares race and we knew it would be a battle going back to the 1400m, she is better at a mile.
“After the Breeders’, her swansong will probably be the Awapuni Gold Cup (Gr.2, 2100m). It’s definitely her last prep.”
Meanwhile, Bergerson welcomed his class filly Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) back into the stable on Tuesday.
Too Sweet won the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) convincingly on New Year’s Day and was among the favourites for the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), but after drawing the outside barrier, the filly never got her chance in the $1 million feature.
“She has come back into the stable and she looks really well, she’d been down spelling at Chris Rutten’s (part-owner) for 10 days and he worked her around the farm for a couple of days,” he said.
“I was a bit disappointed about the ride in the Millions and the jockey was the first to admit that, you expect to be up the front and you’re five wide last, it’s mission impossible.
“It may sound like sour grapes, but the structure of the barrier draws was also disappointing. Our filly was the top qualifier for the race and didn’t get a look in, the owner just had to take the last barrier and she was virtually ruled out of contention from that point.
“I’m not sure how they could make this change, but it’s certainly something that should be taken into consideration going forward.
“When it’s the race you plan for, it’s a tough one to take, but that’s racing.”
Pressing on in her juvenile campaign, Bergerson is contemplating a return to Ellerslie for the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) on Champions Day or staying closer to home for the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) later in March.
“We’ll probably give her a quiet trial at Waipukurau in a couple of weeks’ time, then decide whether to go to the Sistema or the Sires,” he said.
“She’s pretty laidback and not a hard going filly.”
Another Trentham feature is on the radar of Wingman (NZ) (Swiss Ace), a promising three-year-old who defeated star filly Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) over 1400m at the course in early December. The son of Swiss Ace returned to the trials at Foxton on Tuesday, pleasing Bergerson as he begins preparing for a shot at the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) on March 22.
“He showed me exactly what I wanted to see, I’m trying to get him ready for the Wellington Guineas so a nice quiet trial was all he needed,” he said.
“He may have a three-year-old race now or go back to the trials, but he goes pretty well fresh and he’s pulled up super. I couldn’t be happier with him.”
A familiar face gearing up for the softer tracks is Bradman (NZ) (Pins), a model of consistency in Bergerson’s stable who won the Listed Flying Handicap (1400m) in April last year. He went on to record placings in the Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m), Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m) and Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m).
“He’s waiting for the tracks to get a bit softer again, he’s a horse that gets badly down on his heels and the firm tracks don’t really suit him,” Bergerson said.
“He’s such a versatile horse, he can go 1.10 or 1.20 over 1200m, he’s just so tough and loves racing. He’s a real character and I’m looking forward to his prep, it’ll probably be his last winter as well.
“He’s been in for about six weeks and he’s coming up super.”
