Several years have passed since Joanne Surgenor last competed in a Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival, but the Ardmore Lodge trainer is heading back to Hastings on Saturday with a pair of well-credentialed runners.
Surgenor has trained 55 winners in a career that started during the 2006-07 season, and according to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing statistics, she has saddled a total of four runners at Hastings that have all been unplaced.
That includes two shots at the Listed (now Group 3) Spring Sprint (1400m) with Black Panther, who finished a close seventh behind Mufhasa in 2007 and eighth in the race won by Dezigna a year later. Black Panther had previously been a winner at the carnival as a three-year-old when trained by Richard Yuill, who Surgenor worked for at the time.
“We had Black Panther running in some good races during the carnival a few years back, but in more recent times I haven’t had many horses that were suitable to take down there,” Surgenor said.
“But we’ve got a couple of very nice chances in races with great prizemoney this Saturday, so it’s absolutely worth making the trip. I’m looking forward to it.”
Highly promising three-year-old Whiskey ‘N Roses faces the biggest test of his fledgeling career in Saturday’s Group 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m).
Raced by breeders Peter and Sherin Walker in partnership with Haunui Farm, the Belardo gelding ran second behind Magice on debut at Matamata in early May. He reversed that result in a three-length romp at Ruakaka a month later, then added another stylish victory in a 1200m Rating 65 at Te Rapa on August 24.
“He’s shown a lot of ability in those three starts,” Surgenor said. “This will be a tough test for him, and it’s even harder after drawing the outside. But we’ll just see what happens and how it plays out. I think he’ll run a good race.
“He had an exhibition gallop between races at Ellerslie the other day and went really well. Vinnie (Colgan, jockey) got off him and was thrilled with how the horse felt.
“I think he’ll get up over 1400m quite easily, because he sits back and relaxes before finding the line strongly. I’m hoping to see him produce a big finish down the straight on Saturday.”
Horse racing bookmakers rate Whiskey ‘N Roses an $8.50 fifth favourite for the Hawke’s Bay Guineas behind Captured By Love ($2.40), Savaglee ($4.40), Poetic Champion ($6) and So Naive ($7).
Surgenor’s other runner at Hastings on Saturday is To Catch A Thief, who is a $3.60 favourite for the $65,000 Betta Inspect It Premier (1300m).
To Catch A Thief will be ridden by Opie Bosson and is making his first start for Surgenor’s stable, having previously been trained by Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall.
The son of U S Navy Flag has yet to win a race in his 14-start career, but has placed in 10 of those, including the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), Group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), Group 2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) and Group 2 Sarten Memorial (1400m).
“He’s come and joined my stable because the owners just wanted to try something different,” Surgenor said. “It’s definitely not a slight against ‘Richie’ or anything like that. We’ll just change a few things up and see what happens.
“I think he’s coming up really nicely. I’ve been pleased with him. His work has been good and he galloped nicely in company with Whiskey ‘N Roses at Ellerslie.
“He’s probably going to take good improvement from this fresh-up run, but he’s done everything right so far.”
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