Rejuvenated galloper Knock Off proved too tough for his rivals in the Trentham mud as he dominated proceedings from the front to capture the Gr.3 Hunterville Vet Club Metric Mile (1600m) on Saturday.
Trainer Robbie Patterson is confident his promising colt Ronaldo is capable of scoring a Group One result this season – it is just a question over which distance.
There will just be one Central Districts representative in Saturday’s Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie, and trainer Lisa Latta is hopeful one is enough to claim the lion’s share of the $400,000 purse.
Jockey Sam Collett joined an exclusive club on Sunday after she recorded her 1,000th domestic win in the saddle aboard Rippanall at Hawera, joining her father, Jim Collett, and mother, Trudy Thornton.
Quality stayer Manzor Blue will begin her path towards the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) in November when she heads to Hastings on Saturday to tackle the Charlie Whyte Open Mile (1600m).
Most trainers dream of competing in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) and Palmerston North horsewoman Lisa Latta may have found her horse to get her to Flemington on the first Tuesday in November.
Royal Flower has one cup to her name and she will be seeking to earn another for breeder-owner-trainer Gail Temperton when she heads to Trentham on Saturday to tackle the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m).
Group One hope The Dirty Dee will spearhead a strong team at Trentham for Robbie Patterson and unlike a number of trainers, he’s unconcerned about the prospect of rain-affected ground on Saturday.
