An ounce of good fortune would have had Val Di Zoldo winning last year’s Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m), and the mare will be back to make amends on that result at Te Rapa on Saturday.
A five-year-old by War Decree, Val Di Zoldo has competed in stakes company on a regular basis since she was a juvenile, and while she won the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at three, the hope of adding to that in the Travis last year was dashed when Wiremu Pinn’s iron detached from his saddle.
She was finally back in the winner’s circle last-start when taking out the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m), a welcome result for her trainer Tony Pike.
“It was just good for her to get another stakes win under her belt, she definitely deserved that, and she’s come through that race very well,” he said.
“She just deserves some luck, I think she’d be one of the unluckiest mares I’ve ever trained and it was this race last year that Wiremu’s iron came off the saddle when she was about three lengths in front, she probably should’ve won that race.
“She’s always competitive in these sorts of races so from a good draw on Saturday, she should be right in the finish again.”
Proven three-year-old sprinter Poetic Champion will lead the Pike charge in the other stakes contest at Te Rapa, the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m).
Poetic Champion kicked off the new season with a bang winning the Listed Sir Colin Meads – El Roca Trophy (1200m) at Hastings and replicated that result when fresh-up at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.
The son of Super Seth was a meritorious fourth in the Gr.3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) on Karaka Millions Night, but Pike was happy to head back to the paddock with his gelding, aiming to continue his unbeaten record in that state on Saturday.
“We’ve followed a similar path with him this season, he’s electric fresh and he’s unbeaten fresh-up from three starts,” he said.
“He’s coming into this race off the one barrier trial at Cambridge, which he has done previously before winning fresh-up. He won that trial quite impressively and will take good improvement from that.
“Back left-handed is going to be key for him on Saturday and if he can get a reasonably soft time of it on speed, he should be hard to beat.
“He’s pretty adaptable on any ground he runs on, but any sort of give in the ground would be ideal for him.”
Joining Poetic Champion in the race will be Boss ‘N’ Highheels, an improving filly who earned her opportunity with a last-start win in Rating 65 company at the same venue.
“She was impressive at Te Rapa last time over 1300m, this is her last opportunity to have an attempt at some black-type as a three-year-old before we head into the winter,” Pike said.
“It’s probably a bit of a throw at the stumps in a very strong race, but she’s racing in good form, drawn well and deserves her chance.”
There will be plenty of interest in the debutants when it comes to the Cambridge Raceway 2YO (1200m) on Saturday and Pike has only praise for his representative in Argo.
Argo made an early statement at the trials as a two-year-old but subsequently went shin-sore and missed his chance to make the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) field.
“He trialled up really impressively earlier on in the season and we were in a bit of a rush to get him to a Karaka Million, but unfortunately he went shin-sore and went out for a spell,” Pike said.
“He’s come back and trialled very well again on the synthetic at Cambridge, he’s drawn a very good gate in two and he’s a very promising horse going forward. It’s a strong two-year-old race on Saturday so whether he can win I’m not sure, but he’s definitely a horse to follow later on into the season and as a three-year-old.”
A son of Almanzor and stakes-winning mare Untamed Diamond, Argo was purchased out of the National Yearling Sales by Pike for $80,000 and races in the colours of his breeders, Cambridge Stud.
“He was just an impressive type of horse and still is too, he’s a very good-looking son of Almanzor and I knew Untamed Diamond well when she was trained by Richard Collett,” Pike said.
“She was a very good sprinting mare.”
Pike’s other juvenile runner, Pink Gin, is likely to contest the Egan Racing 2YO 1200 at Wanganui on Sunday, instead of contesting her stablemate at Te Rapa.
Earlier in the week, Pike will head to the Central Districts with a serious up and coming prospect in Cannon Hill entering stakes company the first time.
The four-year-old will contest Friday’s Listed Manawatu ITM ANZAC Mile (1600m) off the back of a big fresh-up performance behind Karman Line at Te Rapa on April 13.
That race was Cannon Hill’s first appearance since winning at Ellerslie in early November, and with few suitable options remaining, Pike identified the Awapuni feature where he will carry just 53kgs under Matt Cartwright.
“He just jarred up a wee bit after his last run (at Ellerslie) so we backed off him, then decided to give him a reasonably decent break,” Pike said. “He has come back even stronger again, he’s just taken a while to mature.
“I was really happy with his trial leading into that race (Te Rapa) and it was his first run in open company, so I thought he ran extremely well, he was unlucky not to win really. “He’s come back in good form but running out of good track surfaces, so if he runs well on Saturday, I’d be more than happy to put him aside and come back for the nice mile races in the spring and summer next season.”
