Back In A Flash will attempt to defend her unbeaten record at Rotorua today. Photo / Race Images
Back In A Flash will attempt to defend her unbeaten record at Rotorua today. Photo / Race Images
It was going to be the easiest story to write you've ever seen.
You know, trainer bows out of racing profession with a win in Race 1 at Rotorua today.
Not a group one, but a maiden hurdle race and so, so appropriate.
Racing's never that easy. Graeme Sanders was about to produce Laddie Of Oakview to win today, 48 years to the week he and dad won the Grand National with Spray Doone, the first day GK, as he's known in the business, strapped on his trainers' badge.
Dad was legendary trainer. the late Bill Sanders, who, alongside running Te Awamutu's pharmacy, carved a massively successful and unique at the time "feed them hard, work them hard" training regime that took him to multiple training premiership honours. He broke traditional rules and shone like a new dollar coin.
Bill would call anyone younger than himself "son" and from time to time he'd call you any hour of the clock to correct something you may have put in the paper. No rancour, just a suggestion of "please get it right".
His professionalism made him special, as did his ability to pluck bottom rank bargain basement yearlings from the auction ring and turn them into headliners.
GK had a tough act to follow, but after five premierships in partnership with dad, he has handled the job magnificently.
How appropriate a Laddie Of Oakview win would have been be today. Except he copped a bout of colic yesterday morning and a dream ending went down the Swanee.
Graeme Sanders. Photo / Trish Dunell
Racing can be like that - it's not a game for sissies.
So, what may have been a good thing will have to wait for Sanders' daughter Debbie Sweeney to produce.
It may pay to leave the first as a safe betting prospect and concentrate instead on Banbury Lad (R2), a stylish debut jumping winner at Te Aroha last time to the track. His hurdling at his first attempt was magnificent. He has only to clear the obstacles to take Race 2 today.
Not easy to win the first three visits to the races, but Back In A Flash (No4, R3) will give it a great shot. Like a lot of Ekraar fillies she had shown special ability in the wet and the small field will be in her corner. Smiling Proud (No1) dropped out at New Plymouth last week, but the unusual footing did not suit all runners. He is worth at least one more chance.
He's Cavalier (No2, R4) went only fairly at Ruakaka last start, but the footing was firmer that he prefers. His form in the slow and heavy is very good and with a 4kg claim due to Rebecca Scott he gets a 6kg receipt from the favourite Ambitious Warrior (No1). At the respective odds that makes him a prime each-way shot.
Mixed line-up in the fifth, so we'll go for Mount Midoriyama (No4). He was stylish winning at Avondale and suggesting it wouldn't be his last.
We tipped Storming The Tower in the big race yesterday and we're sticking with the ship. Very tough race though.
Ticket To Ride (No7, R10) to take the last. She could be pretty good.
