Local trainer Kevin Hughes had just one piece of advice for his apprentice Tanya Jonker when he legged her aboard his stable star Maybe Miami at Riccarton on the weekend.
“I said to her to make use of the inside draw and don’t leave the rail the whole way,” he revealed after watching the pair lead all the way to score handsomely in the day’s open 1200 metre contest.
Hughes, who prepares the Iffraaj five-year- old with wife Pam, was of the firm belief the inside rail was still the place to be despite indications in previous races that the middle of the track was providing superior footing on the Heavy 10 rated surface.
Jonker paid heed to the advice as she set a leisurely pace in front before sneaking a break on her rivals rounding the home bend. Under a hands and heels ride, Maybe Miami found plenty in run home to comfortably hold out the challenge of Gr. 1 Telegraph winner Signify, who also went a beauty in the first start of a new campaign.
“The rail is still the shortest way home and earlier in the day it had been playing well,” explained Hughes.
“I just thought if Tanya could get a cheap enough lead and get a break on them when they started to go wide he would be good enough to stay in front.
“He went a really cheeky race fresh up and had improved markedly from it so with Tanya’s three kilogram claim he was always going to be pretty competitive.
“She rode him perfectly so full credit to her. Her riding has come on in leaps and bounds lately so I’m very proud of her.”
Hughes has his sights set on the Gr. 2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile on the middle day of the New Cup Carnival at Riccarton for his charge who will be back at his favourite venue in a fortnight for a 1400 metre contest.
“He loves it at home and there are some nice races along the way as we get ready for the Coupland’s Mile,” he said.
“He can go around over 1400 metres in a fortnight in a race where we can claim and I think there is a similar race on offer three weeks after that.
“He will most likely be topweight in the Coupland’s but he deserves a shot at it.”
