I Am Sam is starting to look like a pretty good winter galloper.
Trainer Bryce Revell hopes to find out just how good in tomorrow's $50,000 Roebuck Interprovincial at his home track of New Plymouth.
Five wins from 10 career starts - horses with that sort of percentage record are
almost always well above average.
"He's kept surprising us this horse because in his first preparation he showed us nothing - literally nothing," said Revell yesterday.
"Then in his next prep he started to show a little bit and he's just got better and better."
I Am Sam has won three of his past five starts. In one of the others he was beaten by a good galloper in Brown Bomber and in the other he was beaten narrowly at Tauranga carrying 59kg.
At New Plymouth at his last start he successfully carried 59kg, but moves to another level of opposition for tomorrow's race.
The stats look enormous: six starts in the heavy stuff for four wins and two minor placings and four starts for three wins at New Plymouth.
"Some horses just love racing at New Plymouth and he's one of them."
A win tomorrow would convince Revell to push forward and try to get a spot in next Saturday's group one Mudgway Stakes at Hastings.
"He's only won tiny races, so he probably won't get a start, so I'll nominate him for the 1400m as well.
"I'd like to turn him out soon because I think he'll be even better next year and I don't want to overtax him."
Rain has been forecast for New Plymouth for tonight and again for tomorrow, setting up a loose, wet surface.
One who would appreciate that is Cambridge galloper Don Dixit.
He was backed and beaten in the $100,000 Winter Cup at Riccarton, but the surface was nowhere near as wet and loose as he prefers it and his go-forward style of racing was also not suited to the race.
His 15th in the Winter Cup is not a good guide to his chances here.
I Robot won on this course two starts ago then had little luck when sixth behind Salvatore at Te Rapa.
He looks one of the better hopes tomorrow.
In a race where it's difficult to make a case against any of the runners, there are wide betting options.
Don Dixit is an each-way hope. Photo / Supplied
I Am Sam is starting to look like a pretty good winter galloper.
Trainer Bryce Revell hopes to find out just how good in tomorrow's $50,000 Roebuck Interprovincial at his home track of New Plymouth.
Five wins from 10 career starts - horses with that sort of percentage record are
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