A change of tactics with Seajetz (NZ) (Iffraaj) has enabled the six-year-old to turn his recent form around and emerge as a leading contender for the big prize on offer at New Plymouth on Saturday.
The Matamata galloper is coming off a last-start success in his chase for the thick end of the $80,000 stake up for grabs in the ITM New Plymouth Interprovincial (1600m).
Trained at Matamata by Paul Richards, Seajetz had been off the pace in the early stages of his current preparation, but the son of Iffraaj has bounced back to put together two solid performances ahead of his Central Districts test.
“His last couple have been super after he took a wee while to find form this time in,” Richards said.
“He has taken a bit longer to come up and I’m not sure he was trying that hard in his first couple of runs after getting out the back.
“In his last couple, we have put him on the speed and that has kept him interested and he’s going well.
“After he won at Te Rapa, we sat down with the owners to map out a plan and he seems to like his races spaced a bit, so we freshened him for this one.”
Seajetz came off three unplaced efforts to finish third in an open handicap over 1600m two runs back at Te Rapa and then returned there for a hollow victory in the Te Awamutu Cup (1600m).
He will be partnered on Saturday by apprentice Niranjan Parmar, whose two-kilogram allowance will see the gelding carry 60kg.
“He’s six now and he’s a reasonably strong horse, although some of the lighter weighted ones have got a bit of form and with their claims we’ll have to give away 6 or 7kg and that can be difficult, but my bloke is in good form,” Richards said.
Seajetz is raced by Bill and Sandra Duell, who have enjoyed a long and successful association with Richards’ stable.
“They were local to me when I was living in Mosgiel and I trained a horse for them called Natuzzi, who was a pretty good sprinter,” he said.
A son of Coats Choice, Natuzzi (NZ) won 12 races including the Gr.3 Concorde Handicap (1200m) and five Listed level events and from two trips across the Tasman he added a A$100,000 handicap victory over 1200m at Caulfield.
His quality was further reflected with domestic Group One placings in the Telegraph Handicap (1200m), the Otaki Maori WFA Stakes (1600m) and twice in the Waikato Sprint (1400m).
Richards also races the capable Darci Brahma mare Hanalei (NZ), who won the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old, with the Duells.
“We bred her together as well and she’s building up again after she didn’t really come up last season,” he said.
“She went one good race at Tauranga when she just got beaten and her next one was a bit ordinary, so we gave her a good break.”
