Chevron will contest the Winter Cup Trial Gallagher Insurance (1400m) at Ashburton on Thursday. Photo / Race Images
It’s a case of Plan B for Southland trainer Robert Dennis when he heads to Ashburton on Thursday with a quintet of runners.
Three of his team were entered to compete at Wingatui on Sunday but were forced to look elsewhere after the meeting was abandoned because of deteriorating track conditions as a result of adverse weather.
Dennis looked north for a suitable replacement and found alternative targets at Ashburton.
“We were lucky that we had that back-up option to head up to Ashburton because turf is few and far between meetings at this time of year.”
Dennis is just returning from a break across the Tasman and said he has received positive reports from his team members ahead of the midweek meeting.
“I have been on holiday with my family in Australia, so I have a good team of staff who have kept me in the loop, and they are very happy with the team of horses we have got heading to Ashburton,” he said.
Former northern filly Love Leigh will have her first start for the stable in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m) after being purchased off Gavelhouse.com for $15,002, and Dennis is looking forward to getting a line on the 3-year-old filly.
The daughter of Ribchester had three earlier starts for former trainer Andrew Forsman, recording one win. She also tested her talent at stakes level when unplaced in the Group 3 Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie in April.
“Love Leigh is first-up with a trip away, but she will be well drilled coming out of the Andrew Forsman stable,” Dennis said.
“She is a nice filly that we purchased off Gavelhouse. She won a race and then was tried in stakes company at the end of her campaign, which she didn’t quite cop.
“She was bought by a great group of people, and we will test the waters and see where we are at with her on Thursday.”
Dennis is hoping stablemate Sir Sterling can bounce back to form in the Gary McCormick Transport Ltd (1600m) after a disappointing sixth placing at Oamaru last start.
“He was a shade disappointing last time. He dropped back to 1400m, and we think he didn’t quite handle the sticky nature of the Oamaru track as well as he had been handling the wetter tracks,” he said.
“Not that he was beaten by much last time, he just wasn’t as strong as he had been, and we will be expecting him to run well.
“He is back up to a mile, and we have put a claim on with Yogesh Atchamah riding for a little bit of weight relief.”
Sir Sterling will be joined in his race by Vino Valentino, who is fresh up after placing at Wingatui last month.
“She is about five weeks between runs and drops back to a mile,” Dennis said. “She seems to thrive on racing, so she may just need the run, and then we will look to step her back up to 2200m at Oamaru on the 20th.”
Chevron will also head to Ashburton in a fresh state, and he will be joined in the Winter Cup Trial Gallagher Insurance (1400m) by stablemate The Hangover.
“Chevron was quite disappointing at Wingatui last time, we were expecting a lot better,” Dennis said. “He has had a good gap between runs. He is a pretty good horse on his day. Yogesh is onboard again, and his two-kilo claim will be a big help; it takes him right down to 54 kilos.
“The Hangover is a frustrating horse. He goes very good races without winning. He has gone some exceptional races this season without getting a win. Up in this open class he is going to need everything to go his way.
“Donovan [Cooper, apprentice jockey] seems to get on well with him and his two-kilo claim will help get him down to 52kg. I am picking he will handle the track. We space his runs on purpose because he just seems to go best like that. Hopefully, he can put his hand up on Thursday.”
Meanwhile, the South Island Trainers’ Premiership is heating up with just a month to go in the season, and Dennis is right in the thick of it.
The Ascot Park trainer currently sits on 33 wins for the season, just one win in arrears of premiership leaders John and Karen Parsons, and one win ahead of Riccarton trainers Anna Furlong and father-and-son duo Michael and Matthew Pitman, while fellow Southland trainer Kelvin Tyler is currently sitting on 31 wins.
Dennis has been pleased with the way the season has gone, and he is hopeful of adding to his tally on Thursday.
“I think we have been in front for most of the season, which has been a bit of a surprise to be honest,” Dennis said.
“We have had quite a few people in the last few months say that if we keep going we’ll win it, but realistically, we don’t have the numbers, especially at this time of year, to have a strong hold on it.
“If we do win it, it would be great, but I am just really happy with how our team of horses and humans have performed this season, and I am looking forward to an even better one next season.”
– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk