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Saturday, April 15 2017
Cambridge trainer Shelley Hale is hoping she can produce a two-pronged attack on Saturday's Manco Easter Stakes at Ellerslie after Seventh Up's comfortable victory at Tauranga on the weekend.
The lightly raced six-year-old made it three wins from three starts at Tauranga when he cruised to success in the day's feature event, the Taste Of Asia Mount Maunganui 1400. Punters who installed the Shinko King gelding as a warm favourite for the contest were on good terms with themselves as veteran rider Grant Cooksley produced a copybook display to land the victory. "He jarred up very badly after Riccarton so we had to put him out for a decent break," she explained.
"I set him for Ellerslie then but it hasn't been easy going and for a while I didn't think I could get him back in time. "He has really thrived over the last few weeks so I'm pleased with him and although it will be a hot field I think he is up to it." Hale is also hopeful her progressive sprinter-miler Go Nicholas can also gain a start in the race, providing her boutique stable with two live chances. "We've also had the Easter in mind for Go Nicholas but his rating is lower than Seventh Up so he might miss out on a start," she said. "I think if he did sneak in he would not be a forlorn hope as he just loves it at Ellerslie and has a lethal sprint when saved up for one run at them. They often run the race at a very genuine tempo so that would definitely be to his advantage." |