Promising four-year-old Knight’s Realm could book his ticket south to the Group 3 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton next month if he performs up to expectations at Te Rapa on Saturday.
The son of Castledale has be in a purple patch of form, winning two and finishing runner-up in two of his four starts this preparation, including carrying 60kg to victory over 1300m at Pukekohe last start.
Trainer Clinton Isdale has plenty of time for the gelding and believes he is capable of featuring in the Winter Cup.
“Knight’s Realm is a really exciting horse,” he said. “Every time we step him up, he just keeps on putting his hand up. Even the other day with 60 kilos was quite impressive.
“This will tell us if we have got a horse good enough to go down for the Winter Cup.”
Meanwhile, Isdale will head to Rotorua on Wednesday where he will be represented by last-start runner-up Impressive Belle.
“It was her first start for me the other day and she went nice enough,” Isdale said. “Hopefully she handles the wet track tomorrow and I am hoping she will be thereabouts.”
The Cambridge trainer will head south to line up two runners at Awapuni’s Synthetic meeting, including Mirabella and San Simeon.
“Mirabella is a nice two-year-old,” Isdale said. “She trialled up really well ahead of her two-year-old races, but she was probably a bit immature, and I probably should have been a bit more patient with her.
“She trialled up really well at Cambridge two weeks ago and she will have 52 kilos on her back after Jess Allen’s claim, and she will be hard to beat.
“San Simeon has come from Tim and Margaret Carter. He has had a bit of jumping and swimming just to try and keep him off the track and hopefully the jumping can spark a bit of a return to form for him.”
Isdale will round out the week at Tauranga on Sunday where he will line-up Storms Ahead in the 2100m maiden.
“He went down to Otaki first-up for me and Jonathan Riddell said he didn’t give him the best of rides, but the horse kept coming and the horse would be hard to beat next start,”
Isdale said. “He ran second the other day at Pukekohe with Wiremu (Pinn) on and it was quite a pleasing run.”
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