Racing: Campaign to be decided after Cup run

The Hector and Steve Anderton stable has five runners at Riccarton on Saturday but Hec Anderton said it was a pity for one of them that three are in the one race.
The horse Anderton was referring to was Sand Sweeper, winner of the 1400m Great Easter Stakes last week. He is this week racing in the Easter Cup (1600m).

"He [Sand Sweeper] has done well since his last run. But his problem is one of the others we have in it," Hec Anderton said.

The other horse is The Jewel who will be ridden for the first time on raceday by Jarrod Todd, who rides the mare in all her trackwork. Heureka is the other stable runner in the race.

The Jewel impressed Anderton with her work at Wingatui yesterday.

"She ran 1400m in just over one minute 28 seconds on the outside of the course proper. That is good work at Wingatui," Anderton said.

"She went with Heureka and Lydgina and finished three lengths clear.

"She ran her first 800m in 49 (seconds) and a bit and the 1200m in 1min 17secs with her ears pricked."

The Jewel's autumn programme will be confirmed after Saturday's race with the group three $80,000 weight-for-age Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) at Riccarton on April 30 a possibility.

Jamie Bates has been engaged for Sand Sweeper and Kylie Williams, who rode him in the Great Easter, switches to Heureka who is being set for the Canterbury Gold Cup.

"I'm just a bit worried how the weights will work out there at the moment but that is how it is shaping up," Anderton said.

Lydgina, a consistent mare, is set for the Great Autumn Stakes and while best known over lesser distances, Anderton feels the 2500m will work in her favour.

"She should relax nicely and the tempo of that sort of race will help her."

Anderton used similar thinking when putting Hustler over 1400m first-up at Wingatui last Sunday.

The former Two Thousand Guineas winner was beaten a nostril by Portofino Bay after being the subject of heavy betting close to post time.

"I don't like to start a middle-distance horse like him off over 1200m.

"They are going [hard] the whole way and it is a hard race for them. Fourteen hundred metres gives them the chance to have a breather along the way.

"As it happens he was just caught one short."

Hustler, formerly trained by Paul Harris at Rangiora, joined the Anderton team about three months ago after a three-month spell.

"The exciting thing for us is that he has pulled up cool in the joints and appears to have no problems," Anderton said.

"He hasn't had any injections or anything and he seems good in himself."

Anderton is planning to run Hustler next in an open class 1200m at Riccarton on April 30.

"I have no worries about switching him back now he has had the fresh up run."

- NZPA