Timaru trainer Leonard Stewart, who will turn 90 this week, got the perfect early birthday present when his stable runner Vague (NZ) (Tobique) took out the Dunstan Feeds Waimate Cup (2200m) on his home track on Sunday.
Given a peach of a ride by northern jockey Lisa Allpress, the six-year-old daughter of Tobique relished the Heavy 9 underfoot conditions as she registered her fourth and most significant career victory at her 27th start.
Allpress had Vague tucked in along the rail in midfield early on before sneaking runs along the fence to stake her claim rounding the home bend.
Under a vigorous ride, Vague stuck to her guns doggedly to head off a late run out wide by Miss Tavi (NZ) (Tavistock) to take the victory with Vague’s stablemate Ekstrememiss (NZ) (Cape Blanco) fighting on well for third.
It was the second win in succession in the race for Stewart who had produced Take The Deel (Dundeel) to win the event in 2021.
“I thought that both of my horses could go well although I started to worry about the track being too wet for Vague,” Stewart said.
“The ride by Lisa won her the race as she picked out a beautiful path along the rails and didn’t cover an inch of extra ground.
“Vague is a mare that has taken a long time to mature and it is only really this season where she has started to fully develop.
“She can handle most tracks and has a good turn of foot as she puts herself in the race and now has the strength to maintain that effort.
“I also thought Ekstrememiss was very brave as she was well out of her grade today.
“She will definitely pick up a win at short notice when she drops back to her right class.”
Bred by Ann Corcoran from Grangewilliam Stud, Vague is raced by Pat Collins along with Stewart’s granddaughter Lacy and her partner Aaron Tapper, who stood her sire Tobique at their Clearview Park Stud operation after he had originally been retired to Stud at Grangewilliam.
Vague is out of the Jetball mare Vaguely Jet, an un-raced half-sister of dual Group One winner Prized Gem, who is the dam of Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) winner Nom De Jeu and Gr.2 Counties Cup (2100m) winner Jeu De Cartes.
