Racing: Brisbane beckons winners

Ekstreme bounced back to winning form in effortless fashion at Te Rapa yesterday over powering a quality field to win the $85,000 (Group Three) Travis Stakes.

The Bryce Revell-trained race mare returned to New Zealand following a luckless two-race Easter campaign in Sydney and produced a clinical display of sit-sprint racing to take out the 2000m weight-for-age fillies and mares event.

Ekstreme has not helped herself on occasions with an aggressive racing style but was faultless throughout the running of yesterday's feature.

Jockey Jason Waddell settled the favourite back in the field and relaxed perfectly tracking forward improving runners with 800m remaining.

Ekstreme lengthened stride with a dazzling turn of foot out wide in the home stretch reeling in the leaders to score with plenty in hand over Sharp Princess and Shi Kin Fly (third).

"When this mare relaxes she can get over ground and Jason rode her dead cold today and she was travelling well before the home turn," said Revell.

"I've told the wife and family to get ready for a trip to Brisbane as we're going to have her over for the Doomben Cup."

MICHAEL COLEMAN was bullish about the pre-race prospects of Riomoral leading into the $70,000 (Group Three) Windsor Park Stakes despite the wet weather track conditions.

Coleman labelled the 3-year-old his best winning chance in the massive Pick6pool in operation at the Cambridge Jockey Club's race meeting and that judgment was vindicated with a gritty victory.

Coleman gave his charge a dream sit in fourth position one off the rail and despite over racing during the early stages of the 1200m event showed plenty of stamina and class when it mattered scoring by a nose over Rio Fortune and Show Up.

"We got a good sit one out off the leader but we did pull a bit during the early part of the race. It was a good effort considering what we did early and he got through that part of the track really well," said Coleman.

Riomoral is unbeaten in three race starts at Te Rapa and carried plenty of punters money in the opening leg of Pick6.

The son of Captain Rio has been a faultless performer for Matamata-based trainer Karyn McQuade scoring four wins and two minor placings from eight starts.

TIME KEEPER continued his ruthless march towards a Queensland winter racing campaign with a determined victory in the New Zealand Bloodstock 3YO Premier.

The athletic colt son of Stravinsky ran his rivals into submission over 2000m in the hands of Mark Sweeney easily defeating The Hombre and The Terminator (third).

This completed an impressive hat-trick of victories for the Graeme Nicholson and Paul Allbon-trained horse.

Time Keeper will board a plane to Brisbane next week with Nicholson in no rush to race him.

"This horse will let me know when he's ready to race as we didn't train him this morning but we had to bring him in from his paddock as he was charging around like a mad man," said Nicholson.

"He could race next week in Brisbane or possible a week later. There's no rush as he's a happy and fit horse. You haven't seen the best of this horse yet as he's still maturing and he'll be a different horse come spring time."

Nicholson and Allbon have had a magical run in recent seasons campaigning the iron Horse Sir Slick and have another exceptional athlete in their stable.

THERE WAS much to admire about the debut winning performance recorded by impressive 2-year-old Gamble.

The gelded son of Bachelor Duke was unbeaten in two trial outings and did not disappoint his army of supporters showing plenty of determination when it mattered.

Gamble scored by a long neck in the hands of David Walsh over Denmark and Fiddler (third).