A late decision to nominate Teearcy for the $20,000 Rangitikei Gold Cup paid dividends for Wanganui trainer Paul Belsham.
Belsham would normally have spent most of last week at the National Yearling Sales at Karaka, but the birth of daughter Kate on Wednesday took precedence.
Teearcy raced in a premier 2000m at Trentham on Wellington Cup day the previous week and finished fifth to Spottswoode.
It was Teearcy's first run for four weeks and his first since being treated for a minor back problem. It was not until Tuesday that Belsham decided to go ahead with a start in the Saturday's Rangitikei Cup.
"I had no intention of backing him up at Rangitikei so soon after Wellington, but when I saw the initial nomination list on Tuesday I put in a late entry," Belsham said.
"I was also influenced by the fact there wasn't much to choose from in the coming weeks on the calendar, and he had come through his Wellington run in great nick."
Teearcy was ridden by Darryn Weatherley, who has built quite an affinity with the gelding has won five of his 15 starts, with Weatherley having been the successful jockey four times.
Belsham, conscious of Teearcy's back problem, will "just potter" with the horse in the weeks ahead, now that he has reached open class.
"We just don't know why he has this recurring back problem, but it seems it is going to be part and parcel of his racing career," Belsham said.
"Now he's won a decent open class race I'll take it easy with him during the autumn."
- NZPA
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