By Adam Hamilton
Champion driver Kerryn Manning heads back to New Zealand a “last trip winner.”
Who can forget that historical 2015 NZ Cup when Manning because the first female to drive the winner of the great race aboard her former Kiwi stayer Arden Rooney.
When Manning lands in Christchurch Thursday it will be her first time back in NZ since that historic raid with Arden Rooney.
And, just like with Arden Rooney, the “team” is back together. Manning’s husband, Grant Campbell will be there awaiting her arrival in Christchurch, and Arden’s Rooney owner, Merv Butterworth, also owns their Jewels hopeful Mr Mojito.
“I’d barely got Mr Mojito back into work when Merv first mentioned the Jewels trip as a possibility,” Manning laughed. “He loves it over there. We had such an amazing time with Arden Rooney, it was easy to say yes when Merv talked about the Jewels.
“The timing of his preparation meant we needed everything to go right and ideally we’d have liked another lead-up run, but we are really happy where he’s at.”
Manning said Mr Mojito simply “ran out of puff” late when third to My Field Marshall at his first run in 2017 at Melton last Saturday week, but had trained on very well since.
“That was a really hotly contested race the other night. The ran a record lead time and, although he drew the back row, he was running the time with them because I pushed through hard to hold my spot,” she said.
“After that we probably got too good a run, if that’s possible. The gap came along the inside too early. I had to go through and go for home, but the query was always how his condition would hold out.
“He just ran out of puff in the end, but he kept trying right to the line.”
Manning said the race seemed to “wake up” Mr Mojito.
“His work before the race was mixed. Sometimes he’d worked like a really, really good horse and other times not so well, but since that first-up run his work has been consistently very good,” she said.
“Grant took him across last Thursday and fast-worked him at Tony Herlihy’s place on Saturday. He was very pleased.
“Now we just need to get him down to Chrostchurch. They’ve already called-off the flight twice because of fog.
“We’d like to give him two more fast workouts this week, maybe Tuesday and Thursday, but that sort of depends on when we can get him down to Christchurch.”
Manning is looking forward to driving at Ashburton for the first time and is thrilled with barrier two for Mr Mojito.
“It looks a really good track and for a horse who can hang a bit like him, the big track should suit him,” she said.
“The draw is definitely a help as well. You don’t have to make too many decision from there.
“We’re not really sure about his gate speed, but he’s drawn better than most of his major rivals so we’ve got our chance.”
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