Twain to add another successful chapter to his story at Pukekohe

Twain is big enough to not be worried by carrying topweight in the Concorde at Pukekohe today. Photo / Kenton Wright

Ultra-consistent sprinter Twain is ready to take an important step to his main summer target when he lines up in the Concorde Stakes at Pukekohe today.

In 14 starts dating back to his debut in July last year, the Per Incanto gelding has won seven times and never finished further back than fourth.

As a son of 2013 Gr.1 Sistema Railway Stakes (1200m) winner Fleur de Lune, it’s no surprise that the late January Ellerslie sprint is his prime assignment, and trainer John Bell reports that all is progressing well towards that goal.

“The positives are all there, everything’s coming together,” Bell said.

“He handles wet ground but he’s really no mudder, so I’m hoping the track comes back from its current [Soft 5] rating.

“He’s such an athlete, a true professional, and just a lovely horse to do anything with.”

On Saturday Twain will return to the scene of his last-start second to Ardalio in the Gr.3 Haunui Farm Counties Bowl (1100m), when he carried 4kg more than his fellow Cambridge rival.

Under weight-for-age conditions at his previous start, he managed an even greater impost, lumping 59kg to victory in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) at Rotorua.

Saturday’s set weight and penalty conditions treat Twain comparatively well, even with topweight of 56kg but only 3kg above the minimum in the eight-horse field.

“He’s there to win, so we’ve got to beat them and they’ve got to beat us,” Bell said.

“I’m looking forward to giving him his chance in the Railway, that’s the race he’s headed for.

“It would be great to see him do what his mother did, and I’d love to get another Railway to go with the one I won with Julius.”

With this campaign’s regular rider Vinnie Colgan committed to Legarto and other important engagements at Trentham on Saturday, Bell has reverted to another familiar with Twain, Triston Moodley.

“Fair enough that Vinnie had to go down south, but Triston has won three or four on him and he’ll do the job well I’m sure,” Bell said.

Although not sharing the same favourite’s tag as Twain on Saturday, Bell warns not to under-estimate his other Pukekohe runner, MyRacehorse 1500 candidate Zenith.

“He had no luck whatsoever last time there, everywhere he went he struck trouble,” Bell said of Zenith’s uncustomary tail-end finish at Pukekohe a fortnight ago.

– LOVERACING.NZ News Desk