Racing: No rest for Spratt in Whangarei

Top Kiwi jockey Sam Spratt won't have time for any swingball this weekend at the Whangarei Racing Club's meeting tomorrow. Photo / John Stone

Top jockey Sam Spratt is no stranger to kicking home winners at Ruakaka.

She has a full book of eight mounts at the Whangarei Racing Club's meeting tomorrow but it is unusual for her not to be competing at the Hawke's Bay meeting on the same day.

For the past four years she has been at Hastings for the first of the Group 1 race days of the season, teaming up with her old mate Mufhasa in the $200,000, Makfi Challenge Stakes.

They combined to win the race in the 2011-12 season, just one of the seven Group 1 races Spratt has won on Mufhasa in New Zealand. He has won 10, the other three in Australia with Australian jockeys aboard.

"His connections are trying something different with Mufhasa this season and Leith Innes will ride him on Saturday," Spratt said.

"It will be strange not riding him in New Zealand but they and the horse have been very good to me and I wish them all the best.

"On the upside, I have picked up one of Leith's rides at Ruakaka, who will be hard to beat."

Sacred Point has been Innes' regular ride and Spratt combines with the Stephen McKee-trained mare in race five, first leg of the TAB Quaddie.

"She won her first three starts and was unlucky in her last start last season," Spratt said. "She resumed at Te Rapa last month over 1200m and finished midfield."

Spratt made a special trip from her Pukekohe home to the Te Teko trials last month to ride horses from the Peter and Jacob McKay stable.

Donnie Brasco impressed Spratt winning his trial and resumes in race two on Saturday. Spratt combines with two others from the McKays' stable.

She rides Vito Genovese in race three and Canterino in race four.

"Vito Genovese is fresh and hasn't had the benefit of a trial," Spratt said.

"He showed promise last season finishing second twice from three starts.

"The only miss he had was when we got squeezed up at the start at Te Aroha and he stumbled and dropped me.

"He is very versatile and can handle any type of track conditions and won't stay long in maiden company."

Canterino was an eye-catching fifth when resuming at Te Rapa on August 17 over 1400m.

He was outpaced early and finished strongly along the inside in the slowest part of the track. Spratt last rode Canterino in the Waikato Guineas last February and admits it wasn't her best effort.

"I was stuck three-wide throughout," she said.

"Then he hit the front halfway down the straight and was only swamped near the post and finished a close fourth.

"The step up to 1600m on Saturday will be ideal and he will win a tidy race this season."

Spratt will ride the Logan-trained Another Invader in race one.

"It's my first ride on her and she has been going useful races and is an upset chance," she said. In race six she renews her association with the McKee-trained Spin Doctor.

"He finished third the other day and has improved with the run," she said.

"He was close in some strong fields last season and goes well at Ruakaka."

Stablemate Mailly is her mount in race eight.

"He won on the track two starts back and we just had to do a bit too much work last time but finished close," she said.

In race seven she rides Nordic Knight.

"I rode him to win a maiden race at Pukekohe and he has always shown ability and like his stablemate Golden Downs in the same race is capable of going a good race fresh," Spratt said.

A busy day for Spratt but there is a good chance she will find time to watch Mufhasa on the TV at 4.26pm at Hastings.