She's Poppy, a real danger in the Ag Challenge at Wanganui tomorrow after her effortless fresh-up win in the Rangitikei Gold Cup last month. Photo/Peter Rubery
She's Poppy, a real danger in the Ag Challenge at Wanganui tomorrow after her effortless fresh-up win in the Rangitikei Gold Cup last month. Photo/Peter Rubery
Iain Hyndman's Wanganui Tips 1: Glimpse, Thutmosis, Spiderman 2: Father Lenihan, Ottavio, Field Of Fire 3: Perfect Harmonee, Tabard, Starossa 4: Qiji Express, What A Smasher, Secret Allure 5: Under The Bridge, Red Rascal, Touch Of Silver 6: Doiknowyou, Dr Watson, Balham 7: She's Poppy, Scapolo, Overtheriver 8: Dez, Ambitious Winner, Jessiegee Best Bet: Qiji Express (R4)
The $50,000Ag Challenge Stakes at Wanganui on Saturday is shaping up as a test between the battle hard warriors and a small band of talented newcomers to the grade.
The Listed black type event run over 1590-metres this season is headed by race fit weight-for-age warhorses Overtheriver and Scapolo from the strong Kevin Myers barn at Turakina. As far as wins and weight-for-age records go the pair are streets ahead of the opposition.
Overtheriver has chalked up an astounding 20 wins in his career, while Scapolo has 19 to his credit with many of those at black type level.
Overtheriver has made a name for himself as the provincial cups king and has won five of his last seven starts with the last three in a row.
Taurus, the winner of 11 from the Evan and JJ Rayner stable is another old warhorse having his sixth crack at the hometown feature, a race he won in 2016 and placed in on three other occasions.
In the meantime, She's Poppy from the very much in-form Raymond Connors Whangaehu yard, Rosewood from Marilyn Paewai's New Plymouth base and Nigel Auret's Petite En Jeu from Whanganui will offer strong challenges.
Adding to the conundrum is Tomelilla trained by the seemingly unstoppable juggernaut that is the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman stable, the country's leading trainers.
She's Poppy effortlessly won the James Bull Rangitikei Gold Cup fresh up at Listed level last month, but has no weight-for-age form, while Tomelila has won at Gr.3 at her only weight-for-age test. Rosewood, who Paewai rates as the best she has trained, has placed at Gr.3, but is also unplaced at weight-for-age.
Petite En Jeu is a full sister to Overtheriver and multiple group performer La Fille En Jeu. She has yet to get anywhere near the heights of her siblings, but did win a trial at Waverley on May 22.
