New Zealand
Remutaka Classic plans come together for Shaking Stevens
A plan concocted nearly a year ago will reach its climax at Trentham on Saturday when South Canterbury raider Shaking Stevens lines up in the Life Direct Remutaka Classic (2100m).
The $350,000 feature is one of the innovation races introduced to the thoroughbred calendar in the 2023-24 season under the strategic partnership between TAB NZ and Entain and is restricted to horses that had won no more than one race at the start of the current season.
Shaking Stevens was a single race winner for his original trainer Stephen Marsh when he was put up for sale on the Gavelhouse online platform last March.
Christchurch enthusiast Richie Preston identified the American Pharoah gelding as an ideal candidate for the Remutaka Classic and was able to claim him for $8,000, setting in motion a plan that has since been implemented by Washdyke trainer Stephanie Faulkner.
14 starts since last June have produced four wins, capped by a home-track victory in the Timaru Cup (1600m) in late December and earning stakes of more than $82,000 to set up Saturday's Remutaka Classic mission.
"Richie loves putting these plans together and getting people involved, he's a real driving force who brings a lot to the table," Faulkner said.
"He did the same with Green Luck, who we won the Canterbury Gold Cup (Gr.3, 2000m) with, and this horse has also given more than 30 people in the ownership a whole lot of fun."
Shaking Stevens hit a bump in the road to Trentham earlier this month when he finished out of the placings in the Kumara Gold Nuggets and was later found to be suffering from colic.
"It wasn't such a bad run considering he started to colic when he was cooling down, that can't have helped him," Faulkner said. "I got the vet to him and things settled down pretty quickly and he's been fine since.
"He's been in work a long time and is well-seasoned, so all I've had to do lately is keep him happy."
Under the set-weight and penalty conditions of the Remutaka Classic, Shaking Stevens shares topweight of 61 kilograms with the only other horse in the field to incur the maximum four-kilogram penalty, the Bryce Newman-trained Uncle Arch.
"He carried 59 and half kilos when he won his second race for us, so he's a proven weight carrier," Faulkner said. "With no apprentice claims I don't have to worry about other horses getting an additional advantage."
Riding duties on Saturday rest with Tina Comignaghi, who is again leading southern jockey ranks with 41 wins and fourth equal place on the national premiership.
Comignaghi has partnered Shaking Stevens in all four of his wins for Faulkner, and those from just six raceday rides on the five-year-old.
Her overall statistics for the Faulkner stable are also impressive – 23 wins from 90 rides – while her 102 rides at Trentham have produced 12 wins.
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