In-form Ormsby looking forward to Manawatu Sires’ challenge

Fresh from a near-perfect day with his three starters at Pukekohe last Friday, Cambridge trainer Chad Ormsby is hoping his run of hot form continues at Trentham this weekend.

Ormsby produced three runners from his select racing string at Pukekohe and was denied by mere inches from completing a hat-trick.

The day began with promising stayer Castle Rock (NZ) (Fastnet Rock), who stepped up from a maiden 1600m win to score even more easily over 2100m, followed by his most experienced stablemate Master Fay (Deep Field), who returned to form in the open 1400m.

Ormsby’s third runner, Have A Crack (Zoustar), put his best foot forward late, only to be denied by a head when just failing to overhaul Charmrose in the Rating 75 sprint.

“It was a good day which could have been great,” Ormsby said. “But either way you look at it, you have to be happy with how the team’s racing, so let’s hope it can continue.”

Ormsby is now focused on the final day of domestic Group One racing at Trentham on Saturday, where he has his highly promising two-year-old State Of Valour (NZ) (Sword Of State) engaged in the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).

Although still a maiden, the son of leading first-season sire Sword Of State is shaping as one of the most promising members of his age group.

After a debut fifth, he finished second in his next two starts to a pair of talented juveniles in Justin Case and Summer Schemer.

That form inspired a shot at the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on Champions Day and State Of Valour more than justified the decision with a bold effort for third. The two who finished ahead of him, unbeaten filly Lara Antipova and previous start winner Liguria, are both absent from Saturday’s line-up.

“Everything’s good with him, he’s trained on well and he’s in a really good space right now,” Ormsby said. “I couldn’t ask for more than that, so we’re looking forward to the weekend.

“Stepping up to 1400m will be interesting. He’s not really bred to go further than 1200, but the way he relaxes in his races I think he’ll manage it.”

State Of Valour is a Cambridge Stud home-bred and with Liguria not opposing him this time, first choice rider Warren Kennedy will take over from his Sistema Stakes rider Tayla Mitchell.

Ormsby has also nominated Have A Crack for Saturday’s Listed Bramco Granite & Marble Flying Handicap (1400m), however off a rating of 71 he’s unlikely to make the field.

“He’s still a bit tricky,” Ormsby said of the former Australian galloper, “and he didn’t help himself with a slow start. He needed to win to get enough points, but he’ll keep.”

Ormsby is also happy to continue a patient approach with his promising four-year-old Castle Rock, a big gelding by Fastnet Rock from the Galileo mare Igraine, whose wins included the Gr.2 Counties Cup (2100m) on the Pukekohe track.

“He’s owned by his breeders, Trelawney Stud, and as a young horse he just needed to be left alone to grow,” Ormsby said. “He’s been in the making for a while and is still developing, so he’ll probably have just one more start before we tip him out for the winter.

“It was good to see Master Fay manage 1400m like he did the other day, so we could potentially look at running him in the Easter (Gr.3, 1600m) at Ellerslie next month.

“If we went that way he would need another run in the meantime, but I’ve got to work out just where that might be.”