New Zealand
Rathbone heading north with promising stayer
Wanganui trainer Jo Rathbone has taken a golden opportunity to give a number of her stable a trip away to Ellerslie this weekend.
Rathbone had not initially nominated for the Sunday meeting, but after seeing the initial line-up of runners, she has accepted with four horses, including progressive stayer Overdraft and the versatile Billy Boy.
"I saw that the fields were a little bit weak up there, so as a bit of an afterthought I late nominated all of them," she said.
"Billy Boy has travelled a lot, but the rest not really, so it's part of my reasoning for going to get them travelling a bit and giving them a trip away. Going right-handed is also good education for them."
A winner in his last two starts, including the Woodville-Pahiatua Cup (2100m), Overdraft is moving swiftly through the grades and will face open-class and Rating 75 gallopers in the Kingmakers Syndication 2200.
"This is out of his grade, but he's been going nice enough races and in a small field up there, it's worth a try," Rathbone said. "He's been doing a bit of work and schooling.
"He's performed on better tracks and wet tracks and doesn't seem to be bothered either way. There will be a bit of give in that track up there as well, so it should be nice enough for him."
The son of Burgundy will carry just 54kg under Kelly Myers with the weight swing in his favour, while stablemate Billy Boy is among the top-rated runners in the Join TAB Racing Club 2400 for highweight jockeys.
"He's very full of himself so he's come through his last run really well, he was only a length away there and he's getting fitter," Rathbone said. "2400m will definitely suit him."
The least experienced gallopers heading north will be Shinigawa and Thebudgiesmugla, both with just two starts under their belt. The pair will both have three kilograms off their allocated weight in the Network Visuals 2200m, courtesy of visiting hoops Joshua Parker and Bella Oliver.
"Shinigawa has probably had slightly average runs so far, but I think she's been looking for the 2000m," Rathbone said. "It's just whether she can settle a bit more, because she does try to go a bit too hard early.
"Hopefully she can do so and get the trip.
"I quite like Thebudgiesmugla, I think he's a really nice horse but is just still learning at this stage. He's on the green side, but in another six months, he'll only have improved off what he does now.
"I think he'll be a really nice jumper in the future as well."
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