Clinton Isdale will beat a familiar and successful path to Wellington this week with his under-rated sprinter Is That So.
The Cambridge trainer has found Trentham a happy hunting ground with his sparingly raced seven-year-old and will bid to add the Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m) to his record.
Is That So has made seven appearances on the track for a brace of wins and three top four finishes and had no luck in his last visit in January when out of the money in the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m).
The son of Sufficient knuckled over at barrier rise and subsequently copped severe interference in the straight.
“The riderless horse (Lincoln’s Kruz) knocked him over, so it wasn’t his fault,” Isdale said.
“When you look at the replay, he was starting to come into it at the time.”
Is That So has since finished runner-up to the in-form Pour The Wine and at Ellerslie last Saturday he was hemmed in and denied any chance in the straight when a close fifth behind the impressive Adam I Am.
“He went to the line untested and was very unlucky,” Isdale said.
“He came through the race really well and I’ve only ever backed him up once before and he ran second.”
Is That So has been lightly raced for his age with five wins, including three on the bounce on the Cambridge all-weather track, and five placings from 20 appearances.
“We’ve had to be pretty patient with him and looked after him and he’s kept rewarding us,” Isdale said.
“He’s been a slow maturing horse and after his first start at Matamata as a five-year-old he went shin sore. I couldn’t believe it so we had to tip him out and he’s kept coming back better and better.”
Is That So is raced by Isdale with fellow trainer Graham Falconer and breeders John and Sue Trumper, grandparents of Te Akau Racing Manager Reece Trumper.
“I was talking to Reece one day at the races and he put me onto the horse and it’s worked out really well,” Isdale said.
Is That So is the only foal to race out of the Electronic Zone mare Sheez Torkin, who was a two-time sprint winner.
“The only time I’ve ever tried him any further than 1200m was last week and that didn’t go to plan, the only time he saw clear air was when he jumped out of the gates,” Isdale said.
The gelding will be ridden on Saturday by Tina Comignaghi, who has won on him before and also guided stablemate Mahoe to success at Trentham last weekend.
Is That So will be accompanied south by Natural Lighting And Ventilation Wellington Premier (2200m) hope Marcella, who ran a creditable fifth at Ellerslie before blowing her chances at the start on a return to northern headquarters.
“Two starts ago, she was three deep the whole way and only got beaten a bit more than two lengths,” Isdale said.
“The other day she was slow away and never got into it, it’s hard to come from behind on that track.”
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