ROTORUA - Veteran stayer Laud Peregrine broke a near two-year drought when he survived an inquiry to cause an upset in the $52,000 Rotorua Cup on Saturday.
Laud Peregrine, winner of the 1997 New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton, had been plagued by injuries and bad draws in recent times.
His previous win was at Hastings in September, 1998, and on Saturday he was at odds of 38-1.
But Cambridge trainer Ralph Manning felt the seven-year-old, who had been sidelined for 11 months with a torn suspensory ligament at one stage, was coming back to his best this campaign.
"He trialed quite well at Te Aroha this week and I popped him over a few hurdles for the first time which may have made a difference," Manning said.
"He's just needed time and a few things to go his way. It's been a long, hard wait but we have just had to be patient."
Manning is in no hurry to plan too far ahead with Laud Peregrine, although a Melbourne Cup campaign is an option. He was on track for the Flemington feature two years ago before injury struck.
Rider Linda Ballantyne said Laud Peregrine travelled well in the lead on the heavy Arawa Park track.
She conceded that her mount may have moved out slightly in the straight but disagreed with stipes and Chase Alida's rider Peter Johnson that the contact was enough to warrant a change in placings.
Said Ballantyne: "My horse may have moved out a slight fraction but he's (Johnson) never stopped riding and you'll see from the film that his horse dipped on his own accord."
Chase Alida's trainer Danny Oatham felt he was unlucky not to win the race in the inquiry room.
For Chase Alida's connections it was their second close miss to a roughie in the Rotorua feature. Last year they were out-bobbed by long shot Arigna, who was at odds of 37-1.
- NZPA
Racing: Arawa Park slog ends nearly two-year drought
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