Local gelding scores popular victory at Ruakaka

There was a jubilant atmosphere on course at Ruakaka on Saturday following local gelding Rotten Tommy’s (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) popular maiden victory in the Lion Red (1200m).

The son of U S Navy Flag has been living up to his name, with his racing manners letting him down in his first three starts, including at Pukekohe last month where he ran off rounding the final bend and forced race favourite Sombr to the outside fence.

As a result, stipendiary stewards required the Anthony Burton-trained three-year-old to trial to their satisfaction before he returned to the races, and he checked that box at Ruakaka last Saturday when he put in a dominant display to win his 1000m heat.

Jockey Erin Leighton was aboard that day and she was excited to ride him again this weekend, and the Waikato-based hoop took a positive approach on the gelding from the jump, sending him straight to the lead.

Rotten Tommy once again proved to be a handful and Leighton had her work cut out for her keeping him in a straight line down the home straight, with the gelding getting on one rein and wanting to veer out, but Leighton succeeded in the end, and to the roar of the crowd the pair scored a two-length victory over Odds And Ends.

Leighton is excited by Rotten Tommy’s ability, and she said there is plenty of improvement to come once they get his racing manners in check.

“He has clearly got a lot under the hood, I couldn’t even let him go today because there is still a bit of ironing out to do,” Leighton said. “There is nothing wrong with the horse, he has just got a tendency of drifting, but he feels magnificent and he has really got a good gallop in there. 

“There are a few teething issues to come and he is the sort of horse that you can’t argue with. Even when he got on one rein today, I knew that if I didn’t argue, he would keep going.

“It was a matter of giving and taking and trying to get him to the line. I was looking for the post thinking ‘hurry up and get here’ because I literally couldn’t have ridden him out, I was just on that one rein, which was a real shame.

“He is a very good horse so hopefully in the future you will see him with some really good manners and in some really good races.”

It was the first win in five years for local trainer Anthony Burton, who said Rotten Tommy has been a test of patience, but he was glad to be rewarded with the win on Saturday.

“He is hard work this horse, but it was good to see him do it today,” Burton said.

“We had to change a whole lot of things and go back to basics, and something seemed to work. He is still a work in progress, but he is getting there.

“Once he gets things right, I think he will go right through the grades.”

Rotten Tommy’s connections voiced their jubilation with the win and Burton said celebrations would likely continue well into the evening.

“He has a lot of local owners so they will be happy tonight,” Burton said.