Racing: Jewel team yet to decide next target

The historical lure of the $80,000 Canterbury Gold Cup at Riccarton Park's 150th anniversary meeting this month could yet take precedence over the A$250,000 Hollindale Cup on the Gold Coast in Queensland for the connections of The Jewel.

The Jewel, beaten by her stablemate Sand Sweeper in the Easter Cup at Riccarton on Saturday, may stay in the south for the oldest set weight race in Australasia depending on what flight arrangements to Brisbane can be made.

Said co-trainer Hector Anderton: "We are leaning toward Riccarton at this stage but I emphasise no decision has been made and will not be until mid-week.

"There is a direct flight to Brisbane which could put us in the Hollindale and that is attractive. But if we can arrange a reasonably short flight after the gold cup in time for the Doomben Cup [May 28] that would be our ideal option. The gold cup is too close to the Hollindale for her to run in both."

Southland owners, the Dennis brothers, are also in two minds, weighing up the attractions of a rare direct flight to Brisbane against the winning of the gold cup in which The Jewel would clash with Distinctly Secret.

Sand Sweeper is a definite gold cup runner, though who will ride her is not confirmed.

Jamie Bates, who replaced his partner, Kylie Williams, on the Great Easter Stakes winner in yesterday's race, is a leading contender.

Bates managed to curb Sand Sweeper's urge to run hard early. He gave the Sandtrap gelding a grand run after that and kicked ahead at the right moment.

Williams did not have the option on rides, handling Heureka in the same race with a view to riding the horse in the gold cup. Heureka, however, went poorly and has been put aside.

Hec Anderton races Sand Sweeper with Ashburton accountant Eric Parr.

The pair bought Sand Sweeper as a weanling for $12,000 with a view to developing him and selling him on.

When Anderton left for a Melbourne campaign with a team which included Sand Sweeper, his confident prediction was the horse would never return to New Zealand.

"We went to Melbourne and won a race with him," recalled Anderton, who prepares the gelding in partnership with his son, Steve.

"We thought it would be easy then but nobody came up with the money.'

Plan B was to return Sand Sweeper to race in New Zealand and he has now won over $80,000. The gold cup will be his first try at 2000m.

The Jewel was given a nice run by Jarrod Todd until the game plan became unstuck at the 400m, when the pace eased. The Jewel had to be hauled off the heels of runners in front and emerged powerfully but belatedly over the final stages.

Meanwhile, Waverley 2-year-old Kelantan looked as if he had merely walked over the road rather than gone on a long trip to race before and after winning the Selwyn River Stud Two-Year-Old Stakes for rider Matthew Cameron.

"Just a lovely horse to ride," Cameron said.

"He jumped into a position and settled nice and when I wanted him he went. You would like all your rides to be like that," said the Taranaki apprentice after his biggest win at Riccarton.

- NZPA