NEW PLYMOUTH - Expect a much improved Call Minder to line up in the $20,000 Istidaad Winter Cup Trial (1400m), feature race at the Taranaki Racing Club's meeting at New Plymouth tomorrow, warns trainer Wayne Hillis.
Call Minder, the mount of star apprentice Michael Walker, looked a top mare in the making when running her rivals ragged on a heavy track to score by almost 20 lengths in premier quality company at Tauranga in April.
The win followed another all-the-way premier quality victory two starts earlier on a firm track at Trentham.
The Christmas Tree four-year-old, however, dented her reputation last start when favourite to finish 10th of 13 runners in her open class debut at Tauranga on June 24.
Hillis yesterday said the horse had a good excuse for her last start failure and he was expecting a much better showing tomorrow.
"She hadn't raced for almost three months and being her first run in open company, it all proved a bit much for her," said the Matamata trainer, best known as a jumps jockey.
"Soon after she won at Tauranga in April she was swimming in the pool and slipped on the ramp as she was getting out and whacked her tendon.
"A week or two after that she flipped over in her stall at home here and that knocked her back a bit too."
Hillis was thrilled with the progress Call Minder had made since her last race.
He said the mare could not have been more impressive winning a 1400m trial at Cambridge on July 11.
"I rode her so she was carrying 60 (kg) or so and while she may not have beaten much, it was the way she did it that impressed me," he said.
Walker takes the mount on Call Minder as regular rider Mark Du Plessis is in Melbourne to ride Blown Away in the $A40,000 Monash International at Caulfield.
Call Minder has been set for the group three $50,000 Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton on August 5 and with that in mind the New Plymouth race is well worth winning. The winner receives automatic entry into the Canterbury group three feature race and free transport to Christchurch.
The hardest for Call Minder to beat tomorrow could be the New Plymouth-trained Rodney Red and Waikato visitor Nothing Lika Tango.
The latter should be improved by his first up run from a break when ninth at Te Awamutu a fortnight ago while Rodney Red has been racing well of late and is a previous winner on his home track, though had the race taken off him after returning a positive swab.
Ruakiwi Lad, McNikkers and Strauss' Delight are other Winter Cup hopefuls running tomorrow.
- NZPA
Racing: Improving Call Minder looks to have answers
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