By Adam Hamilton
TRAINER Kevin Pizzuto declared his stable star Tiger Tara was building beautifully for another crack at the NZ Cup.
Last year’s NZ Cup placegetter has taken some time to find his best form this campaign, but turned plenty of heads with a barnstorming second to his speedy stablemate Majordan at Melton last night.
And they smashed the clock with a 1min49.2sec mile.
“Tiger showed some really good signs last week. He’s needed a few runs after a longer break,” Pizzuto said. “He’d have won last week if he didn’t drift up the track late.
“This week’s race was always going to suit Majordan better, but for Tiger to be wide early, drift back to last and make up that sort of ground in such a quick mile was enormous.
“I’ve left plenty in the tank with him.
“All along his aim has been the NZ Cup. That’s when he’ll peak.”
Majordan, first-up from a spell, sparkled off the gate to lead from barrier nine and just kept running for driver Chris Geary.
His splits were 26.0, 28.1, 27.2 and 27.9sec to win by five metres over Tiger Tara with Village Witch third.
“I said before the race both were going to the Victoria Cup next week and nothing changes after that,” Pizzuto said.
“Majordan is too quick for Tiger over a mile, but the further they go, the better Tiger is.
“That said, the Victoria Cup is 2240m and if Majordan gets a draw he’ll be very hard to beat of what he did tonight.”
Beyond the Victoria Cup, Tiger Tara is headed straight to NZ.
“He’s going over early and I’m going as well. I need a bit of a break,” Pizzuto said.
“I’ve got a direct flight to Christchurch and he’ll have a lead-up run before the Cup over there.”
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