Vague (NZ) (Tobique) continued her great association with Gore on Wednesday when taking out the Aon Insurance Brokers 1800, her third triumph at the Southland venue.
The daughter of Tobique jumped well from the ace barrier for jockey Tina Comignaghi, who settled the eight-year-old just behind the speed.
The pair drifted back through the pack following a number of mid-race moves and Comignaghi bided her time before picking a path through the field down the straight and Vague was able to show a good turn of foot to run down local chance Humbucker (NZ) (Iffraaj) to win by three-quarters of a length.
Trainer Leonard Stewart was rapt with the win and was full of praise for Comignaghi’s patient ride.
“It was very good. I thought it was a very cool ride by Tina,” he said.
“That was her third win there, so she loves the place. It makes the long trip down there worthwhile and it (win) makes it easier coming home too.”
It was the seventh win Vague and Stewart said she is starting to repay her owners for their patience.
“She has been a very slow maturing horse and the connections have been patient,” he said.
“She has got the ability and in a little country handicap she can be quite handy.”
Stewart is now on the lookout for Vague’s next target, but it won’t be at Riccarton.
“I don’t think she is a Riccarton horse, so we will just see how she comes through it,” he said.
“There are one or two little country races coming up, so we will just see how she fronts up.”