Ayteem provides Millar with home course double
Local trainer Janelle Millar secured a home track double on Saturday after Ayteem (NZ) (Eminent) led from go to whoa in the Sinclair Electrical & Refrigeration (1800m), the last race on the day.
Millar had also captured the first race on the card, the Seaton Park (1400m), with Timemakesthewine (NZ) (Time Test) to book end the day.
The enigmatic Ayteem looked close to a victory after being narrowly defeated over 2200m at his last start at Waverley, and Saturday’s reduction in distance worked perfectly for him.
Jockey Chris Dell took him straight to the front after jumping well and set up his own terms in front from the heavily backed Tobias (NZ) (Complacent). Turning for home it was evident the son of Eminent had his rivals in serious trouble as he shot away by more than six lengths before easing down in the final 100m to defeat Rosetown Princess (NZ) (Redwood) and Wheelitin (NZ) (Ekraar) by four lengths at the winning post.
Millar was relieved with the result as her charge did everything right.
“It’s been a long time coming as he does a bit wrong, although his work lately has been super,” Millar said.
“I don’t think he has been beaten over 1800m at New Plymouth and I said to Chris to treat it like a good staying contest.
“He only had 54kgs on his back and as he matures he has more wins in him.
“I’m not sure he is up to bigger things just yet as he needs more maturity. We put the blinkers on and that sharpened him up.
“There is another nice race in three weeks here, so I think we will focus on that for now.”
Dell admitted he was confident once he found the front and could set his own terms.
“He is consistent and is always thereabouts,” he said.
“Janelle thought enough of him to start him the Derby as a three-year-old but he has needed time to sort himself out, which he is starting to do.
“Home track horses have a big advantage here and once I got the front I was confident we could run them off their feet.
“He loves to get his toe into the track, so the conditions suited nicely and he did it really well.”
Ayteem has now won three of his 19 starts and more than $126,000 in prizemoney.
It was a far closer result for Millar’s first winner, Timemakesthewine, who got up in the deciding stride in a five-way finish.
Given a perfect trip in transit behind the pace, rider Kavish Chowdhoory angled the Time Test mare across heels in the straight before she sprinted hard to get home by a bare nose at the winning post.
“She didn’t get much luck last start,” Millar said. “I wasn’t worried about the track conditions and the extra distance from last start really helped.
“She is the spitting image of her mother, who was an out and out wet tracker and the further she goes the better she will be.
“She still looked like she was running around but that will be helped by more maturity.”
That win provided Millar with victory number 150 in her training career and she is now on her way to the 200-win mark.
Timemakesthewine is the first and only foal of Hard To Be Humble (NZ) (Roc De Cambes), who won four races and comes from an outstanding extended family that includes multiple Group One winner Veyron (NZ) (Thorn Park) and Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Boundless (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy).
