Taranaki galloper Justaskme continued his purple patch of form at Wanganui on Saturday when taking out the Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m).
The seven-year-old gelding was installed a $1.90 favourite for the mile feature following his last start victory in the Listed Rangitikei Cup (1550m) last month, and he duly delivered for punters.
Under a patient ride by Johnathan Parkes, Justaskme settled in behind pacemaker Regal Rock where he remained before Parkes was able to find an inside passage when turning for home and Justaskme was able to kick clear of his rivals and score a 3.5 length triumph.
“It was a terrific effort,” trainer Allan Sharrock said.
“He was labelled as a good thing and duly obliged. At weight-for-age, he did what he should have done.
“They were at level weights and he (Parkes) picked the right path, it was a good ride.”
Justaskme will now head for a freshen-up before being set for a couple of Cups targets over the coming months.
“He will have a 10-day spell and then he will probably go to the Opunake Cup (Listed, 1400m) and then down to the Winter Cup (Gr.3, 1600m). It augurs well for him at this stage,” Sharrock said.
While Sharrock has his attention on Winter targets with his gelding, he has his sights set on bigger targets in the spring, including the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m), a race Justaskme finished runner-up in behind Mustang Valley last year.
“We will look skyward,” Sharrock said. “Any weight-for-age race on an off track he has got to be competitive. We will probably look at the Livamol a little later with him.”
Meanwhile, Sharrock had mixed feelings about missing a crack at the Listed John Turkington Forestry LTD Castletown Stakes (1200m) with Carbonados earlier on the card.
The exciting son of Belardo was a short-priced favourite for the race but was withdrawn earlier in the week following his sale to Australia.
“I really rate the horse,” Sharrock said.
“The winner (Chantilly Lace) has won by 10 (lengths) and we beat her by five in his first start. It is hard to say with the different track, but his form is pretty good.
“He is going to the Hayes stable and they are very good trainers. I think they have bought a nice horse. Let’s hope he handles it well and gets the results.”
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