It’s been a steady start for the stable so far in 2022. Of our 19 runners (to 25 Jan), three horses have scored wins for their clients, with a further six placings and four fourth-placings. Kanzai, Northern Bliss and Reforestation are the winners we talk about below.
It was great to score Kanzai’s second victory for Jo and Brendan Lindsay at Cambridge Stud racing team.
Nigel had the choice of running her at Caulfield on Wednesday 26 January, but he felt it was right to target the easier race on Thursday and get that second win. We went to the races very confident and she duly saluted with a strong victory.
Kanzai is another mare who came to us with a few challenges early in her career, so we have spent a lot of time with her as she matures. She is only getting better with age, learning to keep her head down and stretch out. She is a wonderful athlete and there is a lot of talent to work with, but she has demanded patience from us and her connections.
We are very keen to try and secure a metropolitan win for Cambridge Stud, or at least a metro placing, before she retires from racing. She is in foal to Blue Point.
Following two nice jump outs this preparation, Northern Bliss went to Donald in late January for a first-up assignment over the mile.
The Ballarat training complex allows Nigel to prepare horses for racing over a mile first-up, with its varied tracks, uphill gallops and trails. Northern Bliss appreciated this. Rather than being run off her feet over 1200m or 1400m, Nigel wanted to find an ‘easy’ Mile race where she can settle comfortably in the run and finish off strongly. Northern Bliss, under Lewis German, raced very well to score a well-deserved win.
Thanks to Lewis for his great ride.
Northern Bliss has now finished in the top 3 on seven occasions, including the two wins. So we hope she can build on that record now over distances no shorter than a mile. She will appreciate 1800-2000m even more so.
Finally! Reforestation broke through for his maiden win at Bendigo. This is a great achievement by Ross Wilkinson’s son of Reset and Deep In The Woods, and a welcome reward for Ross who has been amazingly patient with this guy.
Reforestation has suffered injury and a bunch of challenges throughout his career. But Ross persevered with the goal of seeing all seven runners out of his mare Deep In the Woods, secure victories on the track. Mission accomplished.
By Reset, a good source of stamina, Reforestation is clearly a 2000m+ horse. Nigel and Ross were buoyed by two good placings in January. With a few options to choose from, the 2200m maiden at Bendigo was selected and Alana Kelly engaged to ride. Barrier 13 put a dampener on expectations a little, but that proved to be of no concern the way the race played out.
Alana allowed Reforestation time to settle near the rear of the field but as the pace slowed, she found herself four-wide. In a smart, winning move, she improved mid-race to be comfortably sitting outside the leader at the 800m mark. Reforestation’s stamina kicked in and he won comfortably by 1.5 lengths. All honours to him, and to Alana for going to plan B.
