Andrew Carston has the $100,000 Special Conditions synthetic race on his radar for Magneto in a fortnight, and he hopes to see a positive lead-in performance on Friday.
A winner at Group Three level as a juvenile, Magneto has shown a liking to the synthetic surface this winter with two successive victories over the past six weeks, including over capable mares Miss Nico Belle and Gemma Flitz.
“He went really well last time, he stepped up to that 75 grade and got a nice run but I thought he was really good in what was a reasonably strong race,” Carston said.
“He’ll have to bring that again tomorrow, I think it’s a pretty handy lot but he’s in nice form and I would expect him to run well again.
“Safely through this, he will go to the innovation race during National Week, as I’d imagine most of these will.”
Zacinto gelding Bad Flamingo has produced a win and five placings on the surface previously, with the success coming in last year’s Grand National Amateur Championship (2200m). He will be back to contest the race in a fortnight, with tomorrow’s Cavall Leitch Rating 65 & Jumpers (2200m) as a final lead-in.
“I was really happy with his run last-start, he came away fairly but he’s bounced back and will improve a heap off that,” Carston said.
“There’s a lot of positives for him tomorrow, he’s got a good barrier, up to 2200m and has a three-kilo claimer on so it looks like a nice race for him. He’s definitely an each way chance.
“He will be heading to the amateur race after tomorrow.”
Also contesting the staying event is Dame County, who will have her final race before returning to Mapperley Stud to commence her career as a broodmare. The Contributer mare has plenty of pedigree credentials to take to the paddock, being a half-sister to Group Two winner Le Baron and placegetter Queen Of Pop.
“This will be her last start for us as she’s heading back to Mapperley to be a broodmare. She’s been a handy enough horse,” Carston said.
“She drops back into 65 grade tomorrow, she’ll need a little bit of luck but she always tries hard.”
Carston has a trio of chances in the evenly matched Gift Station Rating 75 (1600m), with last-start winner Delmonico joined by Take That and Seven Twenty.
“Delmonico has only had one run on the poly and was competitive, he steps up to 75 grade but he’s definitely a chance,” he said.
“Take That is hopefully heading to the amateur race as well, so he’ll probably need the run tomorrow and step-up in distance afterwards.
“I thought his run the other day had a lot of merit, he’s in pretty good form and feeling happy with himself.
“Seven Twenty always tries hard as well so all three of them are chances in a pretty even field.”
Carston’s remaining runners include Lone Spirit, Lulo Rose, Pegau and Brusset.
A filly by Reliable Man, Brusset stormed into second at her last start and will be the designated runner carrying the Red Nose silks, with LOVERACING.NZ dedicated to donating $1000 to Cure Kids with each winner in the colours.
Brusset, Delmonico and Bad Flamingo will each be ridden by stable apprentice Yogesh Atchamah, who is narrowly holding onto the South Island Apprentice Premiership title by one win over Donovan Cooper.
Among his rides also includes Lisa Latta’s bold stakes-winning sprinter Lincoln’s Kruz, who will carry the top-weight in the Prezzy Card Rating 75 (1200m).
“We need the young blood coming through the industry and Yogesh is a really good kid, he tries hard and is very professional,” Carston said.
“He goes home and watches all of the replays and spends a lot of time with the mechanical horse trying to improve his riding.
“I think he’s one in front in the South Island premiership at the moment, so hopefully he can hold them off and he’s got a nice book of rides tomorrow.
“He deserves every success he gets.”
Meanwhile, back in the local stable, Carston has welcomed back his talented charge Jon Ol Rocco, who won three races including a dead-heat the Timaru Cup (1600m) last season.
“I’m pretty excited about him, I can’t give an exact aim for a race at this stage but he’s coming back really well and will have a trial in the middle of August,” Carston said.
“He’s a lovely horse, he hasn’t done a lot wrong and hasn’t had a great deal of luck at times.”
Rising four-year-old Mogul has also returned, with his season including a fourth in the Group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) and a victory down the 1200m chute at Riccarton.
“We’ve determined that he’s a sprinter, we all step them out in distance as a three-year-old because they’re only that age once, but we’ll stick to that this prep,” Carston said.
“He’s a really nice horse, he’s come back in good order and has developed a lot. We’ll kick him off in his grade in early September and he will be aimed at New Zealand Cup Week, which race he ends up in there, he’ll tell us.”
Horse racing news
