Trainers Kelvin and Aimee Tyler enjoyed a red-letter day on their home track at Riverton on Saturday, winning three races including the day’s feature, the Listed Carriers Arms Hotel Riverton Cup (2147m), with Our Boy Ritchie (NZ) (He’s Remarkable).
The father and daughter partnership kicked their day off by producing impressive two-year-old debutant Classic Diva (NZ) (Proisir) to win comfortably over 1100m before consistent mare Rosie Glow (NZ) (Shocking) collected her fifth career victory, courtesy of a daring ride by apprentice Rohan Mudhoo.
However, it was the run of Our Boy Ritchie that provided the pair with their greatest satisfaction as apprentice Savish Khetoo captured the biggest win of his fledgling career, in just his first season of race-riding.
Khetoo handled the He’s Remarkable five-year-old exactly as asked by co-trainer Kelvin Tyler, applying pressure to the leaders with 1000m to run and turning the event into a true staying contest.
In a slogging finish, Our Boy Ritchie outlasted Gold’nguru (NZ) (Gallant Guru) and the fast-finishing Rainman (NZ) (Pins) to register career win number five.
“We spoke about how he needed to be ridden and Savish followed his instructions perfectly,” Tyler said.
“He’s the sort of horse that you need to put a bit of pressure on, as he is not a sit and sprint horse.
“We wanted to put the pressure on the others a long way out and make it a staying contest and luckily enough he was the best stayer on the day.”
Tyler was thrilled for his first-season apprentice who has had just the twenty-one rides before Saturday.
“Savish came to us from John and Karen Parsons and he has been going along nicely,” he said.
“He’d won six races this season, but we weren’t afraid to put him on although he’s still very inexperienced.
“He did a good job and the main thing now will be trying to keep his feet on the ground as he’s pretty chuffed with it all.”
Although Our Boy Ritchie holds a nomination for the second day of the meeting on Monday, Tyler is leaning towards missing the race as he believes the tough run on Saturday will have taken a toll on his charge and he would be better placed having a short break before looking towards further targets over the coming months.
