Greencast and Trudy Thornton were unable to replicate their winning efforts at the ITM Whangarei Gold Cup. Photo / John Stone
Greencast and Trudy Thornton were unable to replicate their winning efforts at the ITM Whangarei Gold Cup. Photo / John Stone
The Waipu-based Stevenson family were once again successful in winning the $30,000 ITM Whangarei Gold Cup.
The 2100m race at Ruakaka was raced in weather conditions that typified the "winterless north".
Smedley, trained and part-owned by Clayton Stevenson and raced with his mother Claire and the estate of his latefather Dick, doggedly finished on the inside rail to snatch victory from the short-priced favourite Candle In The Wind by the official margin of a head.
The 7-year-old gelding has now had 12 starts since returning to racing in January this year for two wins and has earned the owners nearly $144,000 in prize money.
In 2008, the stable was headed by the late Dick Stevenson and they were successful by the same margin with Letsgoparty.
The rising 5-year-old had done his early racing from part-owner Tony Cole's Te Kauwhata operation where he managed a win and a placing from eight starts before being transferred to the Logan-Gibbs barn after an impressive trial performance back in May. That run at the trials caught Logan's eye and she was quick to welcome the Road To Rock gelding when offered him by Cole.
"I thought his trial run was very good and when Tony asked me if we would take him for the winter racing series here at home I was delighted to do so," she said.
"Tony felt that it would be best to have him based here to save on travelling costs and that he would be suited by the type of surface he would get here over the winter months.
"He did say he was the type who would rip into things which had proven his downfall in his early racing.
"But since he's been with us he has thrived and really settled in beautifully."
