REPLAY: Roc De Bank runs a close third in the Foster Maintain 1400 at Te Rapa
There was only one winner last week, though quite a popular one, and several notable placings with Curraghmore graduates putting in brave runs to finish in the placings.
Only Tiger (Rip Van Winkle), who has quite the Australasian fan base, achieved a deserved win at Wyong on Thursday.
Bred by Chrissy Bambry and her parents Tony and Judith Bambry, Only Tiger was sold through Curraghmore’s 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier draft for $220,000 when purchased by DGR Thoroughbred Services and Cummings & Cummings.
Only Tiger started as the $2.30 favourite and after jumping well sat three wide before finding the eventual lead.
Jockey Tim Clark was able to settle the consistent stayer and turning for home opted to take Only Tiger away from the fence, the challenges came but the John Sargent trained four-year-old dug deep and fought back to score his second career victory.
“It was a very good staying effort by the horse on a heavy track. He is now race fit and we might look to back him up at Warwick Farm on Wednesday over the 2110m. As he continues to mature, he will get up to city cup status,” Sargent said.
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Curraghmore had two graduates line up at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Former Hong Kong galloper Rodrico (High Chaparral) was pleasing in average conditions and ran third to stablemate Zanyetta over 2100m.
Roc De Bank (Roc de Cambes) was very brave to just get beaten in the Foster Maintain 1400, only .3 of a length behind the winner Underthemoonlight who is a Group Two winner.
In Singapore on Sunday night Distinctive Darci (Darci Brahma) was a very good second in the Kranji Stakes A race over 1200m. El Chapo (Niagara) put in a nice performance to finish fourth in the Class 4 race over 1200m and looks like he will only improve as the distance increases to 1400m.
As anticipated Kuro (Denman) did not handle the track when contesting the Listed Hinkle Handicap (1200m) at Doomben which was run on a heavy 8. The $170,000 New Zealand Bloodstock graduate has now been sent for a spell.
