Racing: Cool campaigner takes Cup

A combination of consistency and some astute training was rewarded when Taking The Mickey scored a well-deserved victory in the $100,000 (Group Three) Winter Cup at Riccarton yesterday.

Cambridge trainers Mark Donoghue and Tony Pike have fashioned an impressive strike rate with a useful racing team and took three horses south to Riccarton for the winter racing carnival.

Taking The Mickey recorded a useful last-start third placing behind Point Guard in the Open 1400m Sprint at Te Rapa last Saturday and a combination of that race and trip to Riccarton had the 8-year-old in prime physical condition for the feature event.

Not even a false start could upset the gelding with regular rider Vinnie Colgan settling his charge back off the speed and timing his challenge to perfection in the home stretch, scoring by a half-length over The Twist.

A further half-neck back in third place was Don't Say Clang.

The Donoghue-Pike stable had three runners entered yesterday with Black Watch suffering a narrow defeat in the following event.

Itsadream was denied his opportunity in the final event when this race was abandoned.

Taking The Mickey is no world-beater but it is hard to fault his recent form and with seven wins and 16 minor placings from 45 starts,the gelding is the type of horse most owners would love to race.

COUNTER PUNCH was all class powering his way to a half-length victory over Bennyosler and Nicholman in the $30,000 Koral Steeplechase.

Awapuni-based trainer Mark Oulaghan is a master horseman with jumpers and his stable is worth following throughout this popular racing carnival.

LOCAL TRAINERS Donna, Dean Logan and Chris Gibbs had a dominant presence at the two-day back-to-back race meeting held at Ruakaka.

El Presidente, Ima Lady and Sun Spur won for the partnership yesterday on top of the maiden victory recorded by Last Blast on the first day.

El Presidente unleashed a blistering home stretch sprint in the opening event coasting to a five length victory for James McDonald over Long Avenue and Kingston Star. McDonald was also on board Sun Spur in the final event.

Ima Lady fought on in determined style to post a half-length victory over Golden Silence and Seeking The Silver in the $17,000 Whangarei Cup.

A PATIENT ride from Tasha Collett was rewarded with a narrow but impressive victory when Knife Edge scored a neck victory over Morelle in a $15,000 Rating 80 event.

Collett timed her challenge to perfection aboard the 4-year-old who stormed home down the outer to snatch victory.

Knife Edge has been a smart performer for trainer Richard Collett scoring four wins and three minor placings from 11 starts. Nothing could be taken away from the performance of the second placegetter Morelle. The 5-year-old was having his first race start in seven months and paraded in outstanding physical order without any trial outings.

A hit-out on the favourable winter track conditions at Ruakaka will have this gelding in prime order for upcoming spring racing engagements at Hastings.