Racing: Apprentice takes over on fancied Flight Captain

Apprentice Jarrod Todd will ride the promising Flight Captain at the Tapanui Racing Club meeting at Wingatui tomorrow.

Jamie Bullard rode Flight Captain in his three races this season, winning easily at Wingatui, coming fourth at Riccarton and second at his last-start in a premier quality 1800m at the New Zealand Cup meeting.

Bullard is riding at Trentham tomorrow and Todd can claim 2kg.

Flight Captain is reverting to 1600m tomorrow - the distance over which he won by 5 1/2 lengths at Wingatui on November 1.

Flight Captain, from the stable of Brian and Shane Anderton, ran 1400m with Pernella wide out on the course proper at Wingatui earlier this week. They returned 1:34.22, the last 600m in 40.58s.

Delia and Pembroke Bay, members of the Hec and Steve Anderton stable, dashed over 800m in 50.52s, the last 600m in 37.7s.

Pembroke Bay was a maiden winner at Blenheim in April when trained by Paul Harris while Delia finished second to Kelly Cullen at Wingatui on November 1 at her first start.

Vitalism and Lydgina ran 1000m in 1:03.44, the last 800 in 50.18 and 600 in 38.06. The Paul Richards-trained Vitalism was a first-up winner at Cromwell in March . She ran fourth behind Royal Miss in a listed race for three-year-old fillies at Wingatui the following month.

Nathan Hanley and Jason Laking rode track work at Wingatui during the week. They will be based in Mosgiel for the next six weeks.

Hanley, of Auckland, has made his mark on South Island tracks. He rode Lucky Lad to win the 3200m race at Wingatui on Melbourne Cup day and has been engaged to ride Tri Nations in the Tapanui Cup tomorrow.

Laking served his apprenticeship at Wingatui before shifting to Christchurch.

"I can ride at 56kg and just need some discipline to keep my weight right," he said.

- NZPA