Trainer Amy McDonald is keeping a lid on the hype surrounding impressive maiden steeplechase winner Flying Agent (NZ) (Raise The Flag).
The Kiwi import romped home by 17 lengths at Warrnambool on Sunday but the Ballarat horsewoman is keen to take the Raise The Flag seven-year-old through the grades.
“It’s so easy to get carried away but when you pull all of the sparkles back, it was just a maiden,” McDonald told RSN 927.
“We will go through the grades and then see where we fit in towards the end of the season.”
Prepared in New Zealand by Brian and Shane Anderton, Flying Agent won two of his 14 starts before transferring across the Tasman.
McDonald’s husband, jumps jockey Lee Horner, suggested McDonald enquire about Flying Agent who is a half-brother to top chaser Spying On You.
“I rang Brian and Shane and they gave my number to the owners and the owners rang me and the rest is history,” McDonald said.
“From the minute he arrived I have absolutely loved him. He was just a scrawny Kiwi Raise The Flag. There was never much of him and Brian Anderton said he used to feed him as much as he can, but he never gets any bigger, which is totally fine.”
Flying Agent will now head to a benchmark 120 Steeplechase (3200m) at Pakenham on July 19. “It is too easy to get carried away and there is no harm trying to go through the grades,” McDonald said. “I really like him so I don’t want to rush anything.”
