Racing: Trainer keen to chase Winter Cup

Strolling Vagabond is heading for southern riches. Photo / Race Images

Gerald Innes is making plans for a return trip to Christchurch for his in-form mare Strolling Vagabond.

"I've nominated her for the Winter Cup, but she's only rated on 71 at the moment," the Opaki trainer said.

"Last year I sent her down to Pam Robson so she's familiar with her place and I'll see if I can do the same.

"There's an open mile at Oamaru on July 23 or a Rating 75 over 1400 on the same day that she can run in and if she can win there she might sneak into the Cup."

Strolling Vagabond, who placed three times on her last southern sojourn, has two wins and a last-start second behind fellow Riccarton hopeful Our Bandit at Trentham.

"She's always had the talent, she's just needed to strengthen up," Innes said. "She's in the paddock for a week now and she has surprised me the way she has handled the mud."

Strolling Vagabond is raced by a syndicate, which includes Innes, after she was passed in at Karaka in 2015.

"We lease her from Lib Petagna's JML Bloodstock and we've got a right of purchase so we're keen to get some black type," Innes said.

Meanwhile, stablemate Class Above has gone for a break off the back of his last-start Woodville success. "I think he's a pretty good horse and while most of the Zeds like heavy tracks, this one likes the better ground so he's out for a month," Innes said. Brisbane Cup winner Chocante has returned to New Zealand for a short break before a spring carnival campaign across the Tasman.

"The horse is home now and hopefully it's all guns blazing for Melbourne in the spring," trainer Stephen Marsh said.

Raced by Wellington friends Mark Freeman and David Price, Chocante is a lightly raced son of Shocking and has earned in excess of $300,000 in prizemoney. "It was great to have the owners over there and we celebrated a bit. It was a huge thrill and a great race to win," Marsh said.

"There are a few options for Chocante in the spring and we're certainly not ruling out heading to Sydney first. I will have a meeting with the owners and discuss whether we give him one run in New Zealand or head straight to Australia."

- NZ Racing Desk