By Duane Ranger
This season’s Parawai Thames Grass Cup winner, Sir Richie, is now the 2017 North Island Country Cups champion.
The 5-year-old Christian Cullen – Wicklow Express gelding won last night’s (Tuesday) $25,000 Revital Fertilisers sponsored event at Cambridge Raceway by two lengths.
It was Sir Richie’s seventh career win in 35 starts and he was the $23.40, 10th favourite of the 11 starters. He was the seventh highest qualifier for the Final.
For his trainers Steve Telfer and Chris Garlick, it was their first North Island Country Cups title.
“It’s really satisfying winning a race that you have set a horse for several months ago. He’s been a bit unlucky in recent starts and Maurice (McKendry) has got on well with the horse for most of his career.
“He might have paid more than $20 but going into the Final I thought he was an each-way chance because it was a fairly even field and any horse with a good trip could have won,” Telfer said.
After a nice start from gate two McKendry settled Sir Richie third and then nabbed the one-one position at the bell.
In the lane Sir Richie had too much stamina and held out second favourite Mo Casino (Zac Butcher) and the pace-making, Beyond The Silence (Lyn Neal).
Sir Richie paced the 2700m stand in 3:23.1 (mile rate 2:01 even) and came home in 60.9 and 30.5.
Telfer said Sir Richie’s owners could be looking to sell him but he would know more when they had returned from overseas.
“He’s found Alexandra Park a bit tough in recent starts and I know there was talk about selling him. Tim and Jane Fleming from Taranaki own him and we will be talking to them when they return from Canada.
“Apparently they are delighted with his win. They watched the race on the internet,” said Telfer who is working about 25 standardbreds with Garlick at Ardmore.
“He’s a good honest horse who would do a good job in Australia, but I think there’s still a win or two left in him here. Maurice drove the horse a treat last night.
“He gave him the good trip and then got him home without over-using him. We are rapt. That was a lovely drive,” Telfer said.
Sir Richie was bred by Brian Fleming.
Meanwhile, the Peter and Vaughan Blanchard trained Tact Ollie (Peter Ferguson) was the only horse to record a sub-two minute mile-rate at yesterday’s twilight meeting.
The 5-year-old Badlands Hanover gelding notched up his second career win in the second event – $10,000 Lizzie Of Rosslands Kidz Kartz Pace.
The most impressive winner of the evening came in the third event when the Logan Hollis and Shane Robertson trained Three Kisses (Hollis), won the $8,000 WF Feeds Maiden Pace by a whopping 10 lengths.
It was the 3-year-old Mach Three filly’s first win in 11 starts.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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