Racing: Emerging talent to the fore

Pure Champion returned to his best to win the Manawatu Challenge Stakes at Awapuni. Photo / Thinkstock

Punters have much to anticipate after several strong showings at Awapuni and Te Rapa.

What a brilliant bunch of emerging horses we have at the moment, and they are needed.

The description in the first paragraph was well chosen - Brilliant Way showed he is heading into some headlines with his narrow but stylish maiden win at Te Rapa on Saturday.

He was heavily backed into $2.60 favourite after clipping heels and nearly falling on debut at Ellerslie and gave his supporters heart attacks again when he wobbled around the home bend at his first attempt at racing left-handed.

Brilliant Way took forever to wind up in the home straight under Leith Innes, but the determination he showed and the strides he put in late hinted at real ability.

That won't be his last win for owner and trainer Stephen McKee.

Unlucky: Plenty of money said Maid Of Steel would make a winning debut at Te Rapa and she probably should have. She was held up behind a tiring leader on the home bend and it probably made the half length difference. But Annabelinda deserved her win for Natalie Tanner.

Remarkable: How many horses can win six races from 11 starts on a particular course? Not many. Spin Doctor might have needed all his 4kg apprentice claim to win on Saturday, but it was still a stunning win after the run he received. The 1:33.69 time for 1600m was spectacular.

Won't be the last win: Fast Learner. The finish he produced from the 200m suggested potential to go a fair bit further.

Strata Lady. Too classy for the 2-year-olds at Awapuni for the O'Sullivan/Scott stable.

Stolen Dance. Showed how unlucky she'd been in her second start by setting up her own pace and proving far too good.

Stole it: Adrenaline Rush and Zinjete Moki had them struggling a long way out at Te Rapa.

Win next: The promising King Krovanh. Run Saturday's race 10 more times and he wins nine of them.

Disappointed: Ransomed in the Manawatu Cup.

Too much class: Pure Champion at weight-for-age at Manawatu. Runner-up Diamede will improve.

Riding well: Michael McNab.

In for a good holiday period: Sir Peter Vela and trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie. Against the usual pattern, horses that got out to the centre of the Awapuni track on Saturday found it difficult to make ground.

Manawatu Cup third placegetter Duquesa did brilliantly to even get close and stablemate Dark And Stormy did a similar job to finish third in the last. Both can be followed.

Good conditioners: Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young can maximise horses. They did a good job to have Listowel ready to lead and hold off the opposition at Manawatu in her first start in nearly three months.

Weekend roundup
*Brilliant Way should prove worth following after an impressive maiden win.
*Spin Doctor had yet another winning turn at Te Rapa.
*Maid Of Steel is an entry for the little black book.