Predominance on the comeback trail

Matamata trainer Benji King was on a high after Predominance’s (NZ) (Preferment) maiden victory at Arawa Park in December but he quickly came back down to earth in the following days when it was feared the gelding was all but lost.

The four-year-old had suffered complications from an atrial fibrillation, with King praising the work of his father, Brighthill Farm principal Nick King, and vets for saving his life.

“He had quite a serious health issue after that last run,” King said. “He had a heart fibrillation that went south and he got inflammation around his heart.

“I took him out to Dad’s, and he absolutely loves the farm, so he was the most relaxed that he could be out there. We gave him a high dose of steroids and it worked, it took the inflammation away and that allowed us (vets) to reset his heart. The vets did very well to get him back.

“He had a good spell and has had a really nice and slow build-up.”

King has been pleased with how Predominance has come up and he is looking forward to him resuming at Arawa Park on Wednesday in the Sherlock Contracting 1560.

While King believes the son of Preferment is better suited on top of the ground, he is intrigued to see how he handles a heavy surface as an older horse.

“He is probably a summer horse, but we will just give him a go now that he is a bit older and see if he likes those (Heavy) conditions,” King said.

King will also head to Rotorua with Noble Cabello (NZ) (Niagara) and Classic Grace (NZ) (Sacred Falls), who will contest the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1400m) and The Rotorua Club (1400m) respectively.

Noble Cabello has been knocking on the door in her last two starts and King is hoping she can breakthrough for an elusive win at the midweek meeting.

“She has been running really well,” he said. “I am hoping the softer ground is going to be an advantage and we have got Michael (McNab, jockey) on, which will also be a big help.

“She is a horse that likes to be out of the crowd, so her wide draw is ideal. We have put a tongue tie on for the first time and we are excited by her.”

Classic Grace placed two starts back and King is upbeat she can return to similar form on Wednesday.

“I think she will be a really good chance,” King said. “I think Sam Collett (jockey) is the perfect combination, they should work well together, and she should help her finish off. We have also applied some gear to help, some visor blinkers.

“Her work has been very good, she is on the rise too.”

While looking forward to his trio at Arawa Park on Wednesday, King is excited about welcoming back two of his stable’s leading lights next week - Mid Ocean and Burnerphone.

“I am very excited about both of them, especially Mid Ocean, she has spelled very well, she is jumping out of her skin,” he said.

Meanwhile, King is thrilled about his recent purchase at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale last week and he is hoping he has struck gold for the second time in the foal market.

The Waikato horseman purchased Group One-winning filly Well Written for A$32,500 as a weanling in Australia on the behest of his brother Harry, and subsequently on sold the daughter of Written Tycoon to trainer Stephen Marsh and his racing manager Dylan Johnson as a yearling for $80,000.

She has arguably been the most exciting racehorse in New Zealand this season, finishing her three-year-old term unbeaten in six starts, including the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), with earnings north of $2.6 million.

King has attempted to repeat his recipe for success this year, but found the weanling market too strong in Australia, and returned home to Karaka last week where he purchased lot 49, a Satono Aladdin filly out of Group Three performer Tevere, from Curraghmore’s draft for $57,500.

“She is a belter,” King said. “I am rapt with her, I think she was good value. He (Satono Aladdin) is obviously a super sire and the mare was a really good racemare.”

While King liked the filly on type, he was also taken by her demeanour.

“I liked her presence, every time we went to see her she really stood there, looked at you and said, ‘what are you looking at’, and we really liked that,” he said.

“She was athletic and had nice conformation and will improve, which is the other thing we really liked about her.”

While King sold Well Written through New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Online Yearling Sale, he intends on retaining this filly to train himself.

“At this stage we are probably going to race her,” he said. “We will see if lightning can strike twice.”

King is a big proponent of weanling sales and said it gives a chance for trainers like himself to secure quality horses at a reasonable price.

“To get that quality of animal we need to be buying them in the foal market just because they are better value,” he said. “There are quite a lot of advantages to buying a weanling, including being able to break them in early, and especially when I have got Dad, who can raise them.

“It is a massive advantage at his place (Brighthill Farm), the beautiful contour and nice landscape, and the relaxed atmosphere out the back, they thrive out there."