Imperative bounces back to win Wairio Cup
Imperative (NZ) (Ghibellines) bounced back to form in the best possible fashion at Wingatui on Sunday when taking out the AB Lime & Hyde Landscaping Wairio Cup (2200m) for local trainers Brian and Shane Anderton.
Following a pleasing run of form that included two wins and a placing from four starts, Imperative disappointed when finishing last over 2600m in her first test in open company at Riccarton on ANZAC Day, but her handlers said she had her excuses.
“Her form was pretty good and then that last run at Christchurch it was a fairly firm track and they cantered around and sprinted home, so it didn’t really suit her,” Shane Anderton said.
The father-and-son duo weren’t despondent and elected to press on to a home track assignment and identified the Wairio Cup a month later.
Jumping from her outside barrier, Imperative was taken back to settle at the rear of the field by jockey Terry Moseley, while a solid tempo was set throughout by a series of frontrunners.
The pace began to take its toll on the leaders, with many under a hard ride a long way from home on the Heavy9 surface. Moseley kept his cool and followed race favourite A Mandarin into the race from the 600m and found a gap inside the Andrea Dickson-trained mare when turning for home.
Imperative made solid inroads out wide, hitting the lead with 50m to go and went on to win by three-quarters of a length over Tellme You Loveme, with A Mandarin a further nose back in third.
“Today was a real staying test, they went pretty hard up front and that really set it up for a back runner like her,” Anderton said. “It was very pleasing.”
Coming into her favoured season of racing, Anderton said they will likely press on for a couple of more runs.
“She likes a bit of moisture in the track, so this time of year is going to suit her for a while,” Anderton said. “We may give her one or two more and then look at something in the spring.”
Imperative’s victory completed a winning double at the meeting for the Andertons, with her promising stablemate Exclude (NZ) (Ancient Spirit) taking out the NZB Mega Maiden (1300m).
It was just the second start for the three-year-old son of Ancient Spirit, who placed on debut over 1200m at Wingatui last month.
“It was a good, tough effort because he was three-wide outside the leader at the half mile,” Anderton said. “He pushed forward and for a young horse like him he is going to improve with every run.”
The stable also picked up a pleasing runner-up result in the last race, the Be My Guest Design (2200m), with Quinto (NZ) (Raise The Flag), who had won one and placed in four of his previous six starts this year.
“Taramea Lad (winner) was favourite for the Winter Cup (Gr.3, 1600m) a couple of years ago, so for a one-win horse to give him a run for his money was quite pleasing,” Anderton said. “I own him myself, so it was even better. He didn’t quite win, but it was still a good run.
“He is a Raise The Flag, so when you are patient with them you get rewarded in the end. He is four now and next year he will probably be even better.”
