Southern raider captures Amberley Cup

Southland mare Tomasina (NZ) (Darci Brahma) bounced back to winning form at Riccarton on Saturday when taking out the Greenwood Amberley Cup (1400m) in the hands of the country’s leading apprentice jockey Amber Riddell.

Riddell was positive out of the gates aboard the daughter of Darci Brahma, pushing forward to sit outside leader Lombardi. Tomasina ranged up to be on even terms when turning for home and showed grit down the home straight when fighting off her rivals, and the blustery conditions, to run out a three-quarter of a length victor.

Tomasina had been unplaced since the start of April and trainer Sabin Kirkland was rapt to welcome her back to the winner’s stall, making the long trek north from his home base at Ascot Park well worthwhile.

“We had a few issues with her and we sorted them out,” he said. “To be honest, I was quite confident with her today from the way she had been working.

“I was hoping for a bit of rain, but she ran well on top of it, she is a smart wee horse. The trouble last start is that she had 60 kilos, and she is not a big horse, so back to 57kg today was good.”

A race prior, fellow Southland raider Riviera Rebel also returned to winning form for trainers Graham Eade and Brooke Kincaid when taking out the Sonia & Garry Thompson Open Handicap (2000m), but in stark difference, Timaru gelding Undisputed continued his purple patch of form when posting his third successive victory in the Daphne Bannan Memorial Rating 75 (1200m).

Formerly trained by Cambridge conditioners Roger James and Robert Wellwood, Undisputed placed in two of his four starts before transferring to the care of Canterbury trainer Bruce Tapper earlier this year.

The five-year-old son of Contributer broke through for his maiden win when first-up at Ascot Park last month before doubling his tally at Wingatui three weeks later.

Both of those victories were on Heavy tracks and Tapper was unsure how Undisputed would handle Riccarton’s Soft5 track on Saturday, but he lapped it up and dashed away to a 1-1/2 length victory.

“He is doing everything right,” Tapper said. “We were thinking about whether he could do it today on a firmer track, but he seemed to do it.

“He did a good job (up north), I think he has just matured a bit more and his head is pretty good now.

“I will give him one more start, I think, and then we will put him out and have a look around (New Zealand) Cup Week and see what happens.”