Horse Racing: Gail Temperton has two-pronged attack in Foxton Cup

Race horse Royal Flower in action.

Foxton trainer Gail Temperton will have two winning chances in the postponed Foxton New World Foxton Cup (2100m) at Hāwera today but each of her representatives have two very different paths ahead of them.

Royal Flower is dropping back from stakes grade after placing in the Group 3 Manawatū Breeders’ Stakes (2050m) at Whanganui last month and Temperton has been pleased with her this time, having placed in her last two outings following a five-month break from racing.

“She always does her best and she will do her best again [today],” said Temperton.

“She’s pretty consistent. I’d like her to go up a notch but there’s just nothing for her at the moment. She had a big holiday when the tracks were hard because she doesn’t like them rock-hard and she hadn’t had a holiday for a long time.

“It’s unfortunate because by the time she is back in and ready, there really isn’t a lot of good racing for her. She wasn’t up to the Travis Stakes [Group 2, 2000m] but she is somewhere in the middle.”

Temperton has no particular plan in mind for Royal Flower over the winter months but finding a suitable track may prove to be a Goldilocks-type fable, with it needing to be just right.

“It will purely depend on the weather. She’s no good when it’s a bog but she is good up to a heavy-9 on some tracks, but not on others, that’s about her limit.”

Royal Flower will be ridden today by 3kg-claiming apprentice Liam Kauri and will jump from barrier five.

“Liam won on her in the only ride he’s had on her,” Temperton said. “Liam always follows instructions very well.”

Temperton will also be represented in the race by Never Look Back, who will be ridden by Leah Hemi from barrier two. The 6-year-old gelding was victorious in a high weight at Woodville last week and has a jumping future ahead of him after today.

“He won well last week but there’s a big difference between a high weight and a Foxton Cup, but he’ll do his best. He’ll be jumping on the weekend, so that will be his main aim now.”

Temperton said the Foxton Cup field has benefited with the postponement and transfer of the meeting from Ōtaki on Sunday to Hāwera today.

“The field has improved with leaving it open, it got some better horses in it. We’ll just do our best, we can do no more.”

Royal Flower is on the second line of betting in the TAB market for the Foxton Cup at $4.60, behind $2.60 favourite Boomtown Boy, while Never Look Back is rated a $9 winning chance.

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk