Racing: Trebla's NZ Cup win helps to keep Roberts in business

It's a common cry of New Zealand horse trainers.

If they didn't sell horses they couldn't survive as horse trainers.

And that was a point being made by Bay of Plenty trainer Del Roberts after he produced Trebla to win the group two $200,000 New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton on Saturday.

Roberts, 63, has been in the business for 32 years but because of New Zealand's generally low stakes he, like many other trainers, has had to face the reality of being a trader as much as a trainer.

Roberts operates a stable at Tauranga of about 12 to 15 horses in work at a time but has never got much bigger because of the need to accept the overseas offers.

"I've never had a lot of horses racing. We sell them unfortunately," Roberts said. "We buy and sell quite a few yearlings. You have to. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't selling horses. I'd be doing something else."

He said it was only his passion for horses and racing that had kept him going.

"I love horses and this is a great thrill to win a race like this."

Trebla's win represented a great triumph for Roberts after having to accept disappointment in the race three times over a 25-year period.

Trebla started a $4.60 favourite after an impressive win in the group three $40,000 Metropolitan Trophy Handicap (2500m) on the first day of the meeting the previous Saturday.

But Roberts knew that counted for little when it came to the New Zealand Cup.

He had had two previous horses run in the cup a total of three times. Each time the two previous horses won the equivalent of the Metropolitan Handicap but had little luck in the cup.

His first runner was El Questro in 1981. El Questro finished fourth after racing wide.

Roberts' other cup runner was Size Ten who contested both the 1997 and 1998 New Zealand Cups after winning on the first day both times.

Size Ten finished fourth at his first attempt after clipping the heels of another runner and nearly falling.

Asked if Saturday's win was a relief, Roberts initial reply was: "It's a great thrill."

But he subsequently admitted to much satisfaction.

"It's a sense of achievement. I think it would be with any trainer. You bring up a horse from nothing and see it progress through."

Trebla only started racing last season as a 4-year-old. Roberts said the horse was a slow maturer and would be better with in another year.

"He's been pretty immature. He's going to be so much better next year, I'm sure," he said.

Roberts said Trebla would now be freshened with a mind to preparing him for the group one $250,000 Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham on January 28.

A major cup race in Australia could also be considered but Roberts was not necessarily suggesting it would be the Melbourne Cup.

"I don't know if he would be Melbourne Cup material. But you never know, if he keeps improving."

Trebla has now raced 17 times for six wins, two seconds and a third. Saturday's winning purse of $125,000 boosted his stake earnings to $181,000.


Trebla was ridden by top jockey Leith Innes. He got the horse across to the inside rail from his outside draw in the 18-horse field and settled at the back of the field.

Trebla had three runners behind him with 1600m to run but Innes starting sending him forward as much as 1200m out and had loomed up three wide approaching the top of the straight.

At this point the pacemaker Live The Reality was still in the lead, with Northern Beau poised on his outer and soon after Trebla joined in to make a line of three.

The threesome came ahead in the straight and for a moment it looked like Northern Beau might stave off the other two.

But in the last 100m Trebla slowly gained the upper hand and went on to score by a neck.

Northern Beau held second and Live The Reality was 1 1/4 lengths away third.

- NZPA