By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk
Rough And Ready secured his place in the $100,000 Country Cups Final with a gutsy win in the City Of Palmerston North Festival Cup (2500m) at Manawatu Raceway on Thursday.
The five-year-old gelding was headed down the home straight by stablemate Bad Medicine, but he showed his tenacity to fight back to claim a head victory and bragging rights over his barn mate.
The result gave trainer Arna Donnelly a boost of confidence with the pair as they continue their way south to contest the Country Cups Final.
“It was fantastic,” Donnelly said. “Rough And Ready has been racing super and it was a great effort by Bad Medicine. He was a maiden not that long ago and he has really stepped up, I am proud of them.”
The pair will head straight to Canterbury where they will undertake their final preparations for the final.
“They are going to Christchurch tomorrow (Friday) morning,” Donnelly said.
“Rough And Ready is eligible for the $100,000 Country Cups Final on Easter Saturday and Bad Medicine is on the cusp of getting into that.
“If he doesn’t make the final there is the RATTO (Rated At The Time Of) race worth $30,000. Either way he will get a run in one of those.”
The pair will be joined on the trip south by in-form stablemate Kango.
The son of American Ideal won the Gr.2 Franklin Cup (2700m) on New Year’s Eve before placing on three occasions, including the Gr.3 Summer Cup (2200m), and won last start at Alexandra Park.
“Kango is going down for the Superstars (Gr.2, 2600m),” Donnelly said.
Meanwhile, Donnelly is weighing up her options with New York Minute and Taipo after their unplaced runs in the City Of Palmerston North Festival Cup.
“New York Minute will head back and race on the 14th, things didn’t go quite his way and Taipo is fluffing the starts at the moment,” she said.
“We will just regroup with him and maybe look for a mobile or give him a wee freshen-up.”