By Duane Ranger
Thursday’s feature pace at Cambridge Raceway was the perfect ‘stepping stone’ for Better Be Amazed, according to the 4-year-old’s co-trainer Steve Telfer.
The South Auckland-based Australian said the $9,000 Farmlands Hautapu Handicap for the C3 and faster pacers was the exact workout he was looking for heading into next Friday’s $40,000 Southern Mares Classic at Addington Raceway.
“It was just a trial really. I knew she would step okay because she’s been stepping well in work. They only sprinted the last half and quarter, so she didn’t expend too much when winning.
That’s exactly what we wanted heading into next week’s big race.
“Scotty (Phelan) drove her perfectly. She will leave next week for Christchurch and will be looked after by my sister Amanda (Tidswell).
We have a bit on up here so I won’t be heading south this time,” said Telfer who trains Better Be Amazed with Chris Garlick at Clevedon.Better Be Amazed notched up her ninth win in 17 starts after stepping away nicely from her ace draw.
Phelan then controlled the race as he liked sprinting her home in 56.6 and 27.4. The winning time for the 2,700m stand was 3:31.8 with a sedate 2:06.2 mile rate. The daughter of Bettor’s Delight was a predicted $1.50 hot favourite.
“She’s got the all-round game and knows how to put herself in the race, but next Friday’s race is going to be a whole new kettle of fish.
“It will give us a great gage as to where she is exactly at,” Telfer said. After next Friday’s Listed event Better Be Amazed will return home with the Auckland Cup Carnival her next mission.
“If she shows enough down south we will line her up in the Queen Of Hearts and the other races in December. “Australia hasn’t figured in our thinking yet but one day it would be good for her to run a nice mile at Menangle in Sydney,” Telfer said.
“Perhaps later next year,” he added. Better Be Amazed finished sixth in last year’s New Zealand Oaks at Addington but won her two other starts on the track in May prior to that that Group One feature.
Better Be Amazed will join stablemate Ashton K in Canterbury. Both 4-year-olds are owned and were bred by Stonewall Stud. Telfer said Better Be Amazed was potentially the best filly or mare that he had trained.
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