Trainer Steven Woodsford may not have got the result he wanted with Louie Louie (NZ) (Zacinto) in the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) last weekend, but he is hoping for a consolation prize when he returns to Riccarton with the gelding on Saturday.
The eight-year-old finished 15th in the 18-horse Cup field but will get his chance for redemption in the Zilco Rating 85 (1400m) this weekend.
Backing up the son of Zacinto wasn’t in the initial plans for Woodsford, but he felt compelled to have one last throw at the stumps before sending Louie Louie for a well-deserved spell.
“I don’t generally back him up and it wasn’t in our original intention to start him (on Saturday),” Woodsford said.
“He only races six or seven times a year when the tracks are heavy and there isn’t much left for him, so we might as well give it a go.”
Woodsford believes Louie Louie will benefit from the drop back to 1400m, the same distance of his last victory in the Winter Cup Trial at Ashburton last month.
“He was fair in the Winter Cup. It probably wasn’t wet enough for him,” he said.
“He might be better at 1400m than a mile. He struggled a bit at a mile and he has got a great record at 1400m, that might be as far as he gets.”
Woodsford is also looking forward to lining up Tengiz (NZ) on Saturday, with the Sacred Falls mare vying for a hat-trick of wins in the Vernon & Vazey Truck Parts Rating 75 (1200m).
“She has drawn alright (8) and is a go forward horse,” he said.
“It is a big step up from a maiden to a 65 and 75. She is probably lacking a bit of raceday ringcraft but you can’t fault her so far.
“Her only flop was on the synthetic. She has been super on the turf, especially with a bit of rain about.”
Stablemate Explosive Lass (NZ) (Sweynesse) was set to contest the Airpark Canterbury Rating 65 (1800m), but Woodsford has elected to withdraw her in favour of heading to Oamaru next week instead.
“She had an outside barrier draw (22) and she was getting down in the ratings a bit,” he said.
“She can just go to Oamaru next Friday and with a decent draw you would think she would be a serious chance.”