Leading South Island trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman are expected to be a formidable force to be reckoned with in the coming days.
The father and son duo have turned out 47 winners so far this term and for the eighth time in the last nine seasons their Riccarton operation has comfortably broken the seven-figure mark in stake earnings.
Among the stable’s top chances at their home meeting on the synthetic track on Friday will be the in-form filly Motiontime, who runs in the Riccarton Park Function Centre Three-Year-Old (1200m).
She has won three of her last five starts, including a most recent victory on her local course at the expense of a competitive line-up of Rating 75 performers.
“She is very well placed under the conditions of the race, she is superbly in at the weights,” Michael Pitman said.
“It was almost a Cup meeting quality field she beat last time, and she was really unlucky the start before when she ran fifth.”
Motiontime joined the stable following the sad passing of her former trainer Paul Harris and Pitman had previous knowledge of the Showtime filly’s talent.
“We obviously inherited her and I knew a bit about her as Paul and I always got on well,” he said.
“I was actually at the Gold Coast when Paul bought her, a sale that we’ve had a lot of success at as well. She was a really nice filly and is very tough.
“She’s been going for a while so this will be her last run, she’ll be our best chance for sure.”
Motiontime will be ridden by Michael McNab, who will also partner stablemate Here I Am in the Winter Cup Nominations Close 11 June Maiden (1400m).
“He’s a work in progress, he has to strengthen up but he’s a nice horse who went up to be competitive the other day and just blew out,” Pitman said.
“He’s drawn (three) to get a nice, soft run and Michael loves riding on the synthetic track and he’s got a great record on it.”
Pitman also likes the chances of Fireglow in the Thank You Dave Parr – 25 Years Rating 75 (1600m).
“He was terrific at his last start, he made up a huge amount of ground on a day when the track was biased to horses on the speed,” he said.
“The step up to 1600m won’t worry him either. He’s always had the ability, but he’s had a few niggling issues and he seems to be over them now.”
The stable will also be well-represented at Wingatui on Sunday with last-start third Benaud a strong hope in the Grand Casino Handicap (1200m) for apprentice Abdul Najib.
“He went massive in an open class race and if he runs up to the same form with 3kg off he will be very competitive,” Pitman said.
A much-improved showing is tipped from the talented Proserve, the mount of Kylie Williams, in The Tavern Handicap (2200m).
“He didn’t get the right run at his last start, he was three and four wide from the 1200 or 1300m mark. He did a lot of work and still battled on okay,” Pitman said.
“If he gets a more economical run, he’s one of our strongest chances.”
Williams will also be aboard Charbano in the Dunedin City Motors Handicap (1400m) and they are another favoured combination.
“Kylie is riding as good now as she ever has, she’s going super,” Pitman said.
Williams has also been booked for The Immigrant in the Be My Guest Design Handicap (1400m) and conditions will be ideal for the four-year-old.
“The Immigrant is an absolute mudder and he’s had no luck at all, he should be very hard to beat,” Pitman said.
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