Ralph trio set for Te Rapa
Three runners from his select team give Te Awamutu trainer Stephen Ralph what he considers a strong chance of picking up more than his expenses at Te Rapa on Friday.
The most proven of the Ralph trio is free-going galloper Leroy Brown, topweight in the day’s feature open 1400, while he’s also looking forward to lining up last-start winner Perfectmanz in the Rating 75 2100 and his least experienced member of his stable, promising two-year-old Sir Richie.
Leroy Brown (NZ) (Ace High) will be dropping back in grade and distance in the Zoe & James at Lodge 1400 after finishing out of the placings in last month’s Gr.2 Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga.
At his previous start the Ace High gelding followed up a brace of placings with an easy all-the-way win over 1600m at Matamata, and Ralph feels that back to his preferred left-handed way of going on Friday he’s well-placed for a repeat.
“He tends to lay out racing right-handed and that’s what happened at Tauranga, so it’s going to be good to get him back to a left-handed track,” Ralph said on Tuesday.
“He’s back in distance, but that shouldn’t be a problem, he’s got good form at 1400m.
“The main thing with him is that he likes to roll along and I’m happy to have Jack Taplin on again; he rides him positively and he’s good value as a three-kilogram claimer.”
Fellow three-kilogram claimer Joe Nishizuka, who has bounced back well from an injury layoff, also retains the ride on last-start Te Aroha winner Perfectmanz (NZ) (Almanzor) in the Foy & Halse Lawyers 2100.
“Joe did a good job at Te Aroha, he put him in the race and I didn’t have to sit there watching him lose touch and never get a crack at them,” Ralph said.
“He was right there to challenge and when he got into the clear he really put them away. He’s already a winner over this distance at Te Rapa and even though he’s gone up a couple of kilos, Joe’s claim helps and he still gets in well.
“Of my three on Friday, I think Perfectmanz is the best chance, everything looks good for another win.”
Ralph is keeping an open mind as to whether Sir Richie (NZ) (Thunder Down Under) runs in Friday’s Engas Developments 2YO or is reserved for the following day’s Listed SkyCity Star Way Stakes at Ellerslie.
The son of two former Ralph-trained horses, Stole My Thunder and Monarch, went down narrowly at just his second start at Matamata last month.
“I’m really excited about him, he’s a lovely horse even if he’s immature with a certain weakness still and is going to be better at three.
“He’s a half-brother to Santa Monica (NZ) (Per Incanto), who I won the Railway (Gr.1, 1200m) with a few years ago. He’s typical of the family and I think enough of him to put him in the big two-year-old race at Ellerslie.
“The track up there should be much better than Te Rapa, so I’ll wait and see what he draws on Saturday before I make up my mind which way to go.”
“Drawn two at Te Rapa is good, he’s definitely in with a chance, but balancing that I don’t see him as a wet-tracker. Either way I’m keen to see what he can do before we tip him out, but he’s certainly a horse for the future.”
