It was a case of déjà vu with Good Oil (NZ) (Dalghar) at Te Rapa on Saturday, with the five-year-old gelding taking out the Super Seth Mile (1600m) for the second consecutive year.
The son of Dalghar was pushed forward early under the urgings of apprentice jockey Donovan Cooper and eventually wrestled the lead with 1000m to go.
Cooper eased the pace and let his charge come back to his rivals before pressing the go button down the straight and Good Oil responded and ran away to a 1-1/2 length victory over Magic Ace, with a further 1-/14 lengths back to Pick Of The Litter in third.
It was Good Oil’s first win since taking out the same race last year and his connections were pleased to see him back in winning form.
“It was a good effort fresh-up over a mile,” said Robert Dennis, assistant to trainer Andrew Forsman.
“It was a smart ride by Donovan in the end. It was always the intention to go forward like that. We probably didn’t expect to get quite so much pressure early, but he managed to give him a good breather through the mid-stages, hugged the rail, and he has kicked on really strongly.
“We thought he would run well. He might have felt the pinch with 100m to go but he has kicked on really strongly.”
Cooper has formed a close association with the Forsman barn and Dennis said that is starting to show on raceday.
“He is in just about every morning riding work for us. He is doing a good job, he is getting the opportunity on raceday, and he is making the most of it.”
Cooper was delighted to get the win, particularly on a premier day.
“It panned out beautifully. I wanted to lead on him because I know fresh-up he loves running upfront. The key was to get to the rail with him and he absolutely loved it out there,” Cooper said.
“Up until about the 600m I was wondering if I should press him or not, but he was comfortable enough to tell me to wait a little bit longer.
“It is an amazing feeling (to win on a premier day). I went straight up to celebrate after the line.”
Meanwhile, Dennis was pleased with stablemate Mustang Valley’s sixth-placed run in the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) a race prior.
“That is just what we wanted to see. She is not a 1200m horse and with the track improving it probably took her out of it a little more, but she was only a couple of lengths away,” he said.
“It is very encouraging going forward to Hastings.”
