Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) cemented her place at the top of the TAB’s futures market for the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa in a fortnight following her comfortable trial win over 1050m at the Hamilton track on Saturday.

Her connections are hopeful of a change of luck from last season, which proved frustrating despite it starting with a bang when she was runner-up in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley. She then went on to finish last in the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) and seventh in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m). In her final outing of the season at Ellerslie on Champions Day, she looked the winner in the Gr.3 King’s Plate (1200m) before she ducked inwards with 100m to go, hitting the rail and dislodging jockey Samantha Collett.

Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso said she thrived over her subsequent spell and she has returned a more mature mare, which was on full display at Te Rapa on Saturday where she led throughout under Michael McNab and won comfortably by 1-1/4 lengths over the Stephen Marsh-trained Media World.

Ken Kelso was pleased with what he saw from his Group One performer.

“Things went awry in the autumn and she has come back a lot stronger and developed a lot,” he said. “She ran nicely and Micheal (McNab) was rapt with the run, so I am very pleased.

“She got pretty toey after her Melbourne trip. I don’t know what happened in the Manikato. I thought she was back to her old self (on Saturday), she relaxed nicely and Michael seemed to get on with her.”

Kelso is now looking forward to Alabama Lass resuming in the Foxbridge Plate before likely heading to the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) at Ellerslie on September 5.

“We have got to get through the Foxbridge first, and like everyone else we are on weather watch. She has won over 1400m at Ellerslie in the Soliloquy (Gr.2, 1400m), and at Ellerslie we are likely to get a reasonable track, and she has run second over a mile.

“As she has got a little bit stronger, I don’t think the 1400m will be a worry.”

Alabama Lass is now the $2.80 favourite in the TAB’s futures market for the Foxbridge Plate, ahead of Crocetti and First Five, both at $4.50. - Joshua Smith LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Dusty Road back in business on favourite track

Last season’s Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) placegetter Dusty Road (NZ) (Shamexpress) found his way back into form, and the top step of the podium, when he held out all challengers to claim the Cambridge Stud Proud Horse Ambulance Supporters (1200m) open sprint at Te Rapa on Saturday.

The Graeme Cameron-prepared seven-year-old had been struggling to find form with a string of unplaced finishes in his current campaign, including an inglorious last when tried over 2000m on the Cambridge synthetic last month.

Cameron took the son of Shamexpress back to the trials and he signalled he was ready to drastically improve on his current form line with a tidy victory over 1100m at Te Rapa on Tuesday in open company, defeating last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner Romanoff.

Rider Joe Doyle had his mount underway nicely from the barrier and was content to travel in the slipstream of leader Bella Timing before moving up to dispute proceedings with 600m to run.

The pair went head-to-head until well into the home straight where Dusty Road went clear with 100m to the finish to defeat Bella Timing and the late closing Little Bit Of Love.

Cameron was delighted to see his charge back in winning form after he had been scratching his head a little earlier in the campaign.

“He seems to go well at this time of the year and I think we found out plenty last time when we tried him over ground,” Cameron said.

“We thought we’d give him a try (over ground) but Liam (Kauri, jockey) came back in and said that he was definitely a sprinter and not a stayer, so it was back to the drawing board.

“We had been giving him plenty of work over ground and when I cut that back he seemed a much happier horse. We put him in the trial and he went well and when I saw the noms for the race (on Saturday) I thought we would give it a go.

“Joe rode him beautifully and he got the victory.”

Cameron has his sights set on a return to the Foxbridge Plate (1200m), which will be run at the Hamilton venue on 22 August.

“I’d love to have another go at the Foxbridge provided he can make the field,” he said.

“He goes so well at Te Rapa and if we could get Joe to ride him then I would be confident of a good showing.”

Raced by Cameron and his wife Jacky, Dusty Road has now won six of his 42 career starts and over $215,000 in prizemoney for the pair.

The Camerons nearly made it two wins as an owner on the day as they have a share in the John Bell-trained Amazonia (NZ) (Swiss Ace), who went a mighty race to finish second behind Miss Understood later on the card. - Kevin Robertson LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Winning reunion for Wong and Winning Stride

It was a triumphant reunion for jockey Jimmy Wong Chin Chuen and Winning Stride (NZ) (Wrote) when they captured the main event – the combined Cosmo B and C - 1400m race – at Perak racecourse on Saturday.

Wong last rode the Wrote galloper to victory in a Class 4 race at Kranji this month three years ago.

But he also had a rather frustrating time on the New Zealand gelding, finishing second five times in six others rides in Singapore.

Winning Stride hit the front at the 200m with Heavenly Warrior (NZ) (Ribchester) chasing him on the outside. The New Zealand bred pair then broke away from the rest to fight out the finish, with Winning Stride winning by half a length. Leong Ma Biscuit (NZ) (Belardo) was five lengths away third.

“The horse (Winning Stride) was (fit and) ready, jumped well and we settled nicely behind the leaders,” said Wong.

“After we hit the front, in the last 100m he was sort of waiting for others to come at him.

“I won once on him in Singapore but on the other occasions, he kind of stop after we had taken the lead and got caught.

“He never changed his bad habit. Luckily today we got home first.

“It’s a nice result for my first ride for Coetzee.”

Heavenly Warrior’s three-race winning run came to an end but Coetzee was not disheartened.

“Both horses are equally fit,” he said. Winning Stride and Heavenly Warrior were the joint equal favourites.

“Heavenly Warrior will be better over a longer trip. Winning Stride, too, will appreciate a longer distance.

“For now, they will both run in the Perak Gold Vase (1400m) in two week’s time.”

The Gold Vase distance was changed to 1100m on the short course last year and it will be run over 1400m for the first time on Aug 23.

In his third meeting back from a two-year hiatus, Jockey Randy Tan was off the mark in his comeback to racing when he piloted Kong Fu Panda (NZ) (Showcasing) to victory in a Class 4A - 1200m handicap.

Now eight years old, Kung Fu Panda was the Perak Gold Vase (1100m) winner on this track two years ago when trained by Tiang Kim Choi.

“It’s nice to get a win in my third meeting back,” said Tan.

“He (Kong Fu Panda) settled nicely in midfield early. I got to work him from the 600m and he gave me plenty in the straight.”

For current Kong Fu Panda’s trainer Peter Lee, it was a nostalgic moment.

“Randy’s father, Tan Joo Hock, used to work for me as a track rider for many years in the nineteen eighties” said Lee.

Other New Zealand bred winners in Malaysia on Saturday were Baby Biscuit (NZ) (Vanbrugh), Talkingtalkingguru (NZ) (Telperion) & Flying Warrior (NZ) (Complacent). - NZ Racing Desk