Stakes mission next for Undisputed
Timaru gelding Undisputed (NZ) (Contributer) extended his unbeaten run in the South Island to four when taking out the Gallagher Insurance (1400m) at Ashburton on Thursday.
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, and the five-year-old son of Contributer has thrived in the south.
He broke through for his maiden win when first-up at Ascot Park in May before doubling his tally at Wingatui three weeks later. He continued his winning ways at Riccarton last month and was subsequently backed into a $1.70 favourite for his midweek assignment.
From his ace draw, Undisputed sprung out of the gates to take up the early lead and he was never headed, extending his advantage down the home straight to score by 1-3/4 lengths over Go Lotte, with a further 1-1/2 lengths back to Lord Darci in third.
Tapper has been rapt with Undisputed golden run, but said he still has plenty to learn.
“It is quite exciting,” Tapper said. “He is not an easy horse to keep in behind, we have tried to teach him to settle but it is not really working and that is why he has been sticking to shorter distances.”
A rise in distance is in the offing, as is a tilt at stakes level, but Tapper is currently weighing up between two options in the next month.
“I am not sure whether we head to the Winter Cup (Gr.3, 1600m) or go to Opunake (Cup – Listed, 1400),” Tapper said.
Earlier in the day, Riccarton trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman scored an early double courtesy of Enterprise Gem in the Jackson Spreading (1600m) and Proserve in the Dunstan Horsefeed (2200m).
Matthew Pitman was particularly pleased with apprentice jockey Jack Taplin’s ride on Proserve, and he said they will continue to chase the lucrative prizemoney on offer over winter with the gelding.
“Jack assessed it brilliantly and it was a good run,” Pitman said.
“He has won a couple on the poly, we have got National Week coming up and a good money day again next week. We will keep going to these good money days and hopefully he can get another at some stage.”
