Racing: Coventina Bay can raise stakes

Coventina Bay defeats Tavi Mac in the Gr.2 Carters Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m). Photo: Race Images - Grant Matthew

The Manawatu sunshine and a patient Craig Grylls ride combined to help Coventina Bay make a winning return to New Zealand racing in the $110,000 Carters Challenge Stakes at Awapuni on Saturday.

Trainer Robbie Patterson started the day unsure his stable star could win the group 2 mile as she was first up since a luckless Queensland winter campaign but more importantly the Awapuni track had been rated heavy all week.

On Friday it was still a heavy 11 and even when that improved to a heavy 10 on Friday night Patterson was sceptical his mare would handle the footing well enough to beat more proven mudlarks Tavi Mac and Justaskme.

But on a hot day the track ended up rated a slow 9 and raced way better and with every hour Conventina Bay's chances improved.

Punters still had a nervous watch as, like usual, she was slow and settled last in the small field but Grylls didn't panic and tracked Tavi Mac wide into the race before the mare unleashed a brilliant last 200m to win going away.

Her time of just over 1:24 suggested the track was racing more like a 8 or even 7 and Patterson said that was the difference.

"Once the track started to improve I thought she might be too good for them," he said.

"But that was really impressive and it was a lovely ride from Craig. But I am going to have to find a new rider as Craig is on Dragon Leap in her next race."

That is possibly the Rich Hill Mile at Ellerslie in that race and it is shaping up as another stunner, alongside the Sistema Railway, of the New Year's Day meeting when Ellerslie can have crowds back at the races.

The Railway may feature Entriviere versus Levante but the Mile is set to boast defending champion Showoroses, Gold Watch as well as Coventina Bay, yesterday's third placegetter Hypnos and Dragon Leap with plenty of other high class gallopers in the mix depending on the weather in the next two weeks.

Patterson says the Rich Hill is the likely aim now then the Thorndon at the Wellington Cup carnival and then he wants to step Coventina Bay up to 2000m for the Herbie Dyke at Te Rapa in February.

"I think she will love 2000m so that is the summer plan." Tavi Mac was far better in second yesterday but his stablemate and warm favourite Justaskme never looked a winning hope, being off the bit a a long way from home back on the inside, with the drying track that helped Coventina Bay against him.

Grylls made it a group race double for the afternoon when he guided Marroni to a narrow win in the $100,000 Manawatu Cup, the second Central District victory in seven days for the Cambridge gelding.

Marroni has been a consistent improver his whole career and finished third in last season's Easter Handicap but was involved in a dreadful race fall at his next start which could have dented the confidence of a less willing horse.

Instead he has come back even stronger after a spell and he looks a genuine chance in any of the Cups races he is aimed at over the summer for Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.

Earlier at the feature Awapuni meeting three-year-old Shamus, like Coventina Bay by stallion Shamexpress, remained unbeaten at his third start with a smart performance.

And two-year-old Kana won on debut to continue a golden recent run for Waikato Stud sire Tivaci, who now has two of the favourites for the Karaka Million two-year-old at Ellerslie next month as well as a promising winner in Outfit of the first race at Te Rapa yesterday.