Racing: Maroofity leads from the front

Cambridge jockey Lisa Cropp showed fine front running judgment when combining with Maroofity to win the $130,000 Thorndon Mile at Trentham yesterday.

Cropp showed daring front running tactics aboard outsider Maroofity, leading a star-studded field a merry chase in the 1600-metre feature.

After kicking the big Maroof four-year-old to a three length lead in the early stages, Cropp gave the horse a mid-race breather before going for the doctor on the home bend.

Zvezda, who had tracked Maroofity all the way, tried valiantly to run him down in the straight but was 1 3/4 lengths behind at the finish.

There was a blanket finish for the minor placings with Zvezda holding second by just half a head from the fast finishing Lashed, with The Drummer just half a head away in fourth place.

"She (Cropp) listened and did a great job," Maroofity's excited trainer Mark Walker said after the race.

"I told her I don't put sheilas on very often so she better listen carefully to what I have to say and she did."

Walker had established that there was no other true front runner in the race and that Maroofity's best chance was to lead and make the others work.

Cropp said she talked to Maroofity during the race to help him relax and knew she had the others in trouble when her mount accelerated on the home turn.

"The horse knew he was going to win. That's what Group One winning horses are like," Cropp said.

"He felt confident out there and really stuck to his task," she added.

It was Maroofity's ninth win from 21 starts and took his stake earnings past the $400,000 mark.

The former crack juvenile is owned by the Tauranga Racing Syndicate, which is managed by David Ellis of Te Akau Stud, Matamata.

Walker praised the staff at his Te Akau stables for the job they have done in getting Maroofity back to his best.

"He's always been a good horse but he's not an easy horse to train and the guy that rides him in trackwork has done a marvellous job," Walker said.

"Sometimes he can pull hard in his work and then the next day he can spin around for no reason and you have got to know him."

Maroofity will now go out for a brief spell before being aimed at another Group One event, the ARC Easter Handicap (1600m) at Ellerslie in March.

Zvezda's rider, Hayden Tinsley, was full of praise for his mount but knew second place was going to be his lot when Maroofity put three lengths on them rounding the home bend.

"I knew we might be able to take a length off Maroofity but there was no way we could pull back three lengths," Tinsley said.

Lashed powered home from the tail of the field and will now be aimed at the Group One Whakanui Stud International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 12.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY