Beau Dane edges out Blood Brotha

Beau Dane and Blood Brotha's huge battle in the Hospice Cup was the feature of the Wanganui Racing Club's Hospice meeting on Saturday, but there was still space for three highly promising younger horses to catch the eye.

Trainer Raymond Connors just missed out with Blood Brotha, but he seems certain to get more in the future with his O'Reilly-Crimson Gown four-year-old Doing Time.

A $35,000 purchase at Karaka, Doing Time started from the outside of the AME Electrical Maiden field at Wanganui's tricky 1600-metre barrier, swept around to the lead and won on its ear by two lengths.

Doing Time was very well supported and Connors said people had obviously noticed at a couple of jumpouts. And from that draw?

"I would have liked, really, to have had him settle back and relax a bit, but I thought he (Parkes) might do that."

Connors has not mapped out any plans at this point, but believes the horse could get up to 2000 metres.

The first race unearthed a potentially decent two-year-old in Liberating, although trainer Dick Bothwell will hope it goes on with the job much more quickly than His Ovation, which won the season's first two-year-old event at Wanganui a few seasons ago but never went on with it.

Liberating, from the first New Zealand crop of Europe's leading sire of two-year-olds this season, Iffraaj, was most impressive in beating a small field over the 800m in 47.58sec, a decent time on the track.

She won by three lengths and Bothwell, also said she had plenty left.

"That time's not bad on a slow track and she put three lengths on them in one stride on the turn."

When asked about the filly's future plans he said he just wanted to win a few more races with herbut he also indicated she was eligible for the million-dollar Karaka race. Liberating's next start could be at Trentham.

Liberating is the first New Zealand winner for Iffraaj.

The other young horse to catch the eye was Palmerston North trainer Peter Breslin's unbeaten San Rafael.

Another to draw the outside - this in a 16-horse field - San Rafael was taken straight to the lead by Rosie Meyers (three wins on the day), and the Falkirk gelding kept up a very strong gallop when challenged by Wanganui horse Taurus.

San Rafael won its first start maiden at Otaki after being blocked in the straight, so in both starts has shown the ability to overcome bad luck. Breslin is aiming for a start in the Levin Classic.