Racing: Nerve-wracking road to win at Riccarton

Sally McKay with Courte Zarindi. Photo / Race Images South

If ever a trainer needed a drink it was Sally McKay after her courageous filly Courte Zarindi upstaged a northern invasion in the Listed $50,000 NZ Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) at Riccarton on Saturday.

Not only had the Invercargill horsewoman been through a nerve-wracking week getting the bargain-basement-priced filly to the final leg of the NZ Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year event, but she then had to withstand the pressure of an inquiry before being able to celebrate victory in the 2000m feature.

"I don't want to go through that again," McKay said. "She's sensational to do what she did. It was unreal that she made the race let alone won it."

Courte Zarindi led in the series after winning the Listed NZB Air Freight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui early last month and was then unlucky when third behind Respin in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m), but then she suffered a major hiccup in her Warstep Stakes' preparation. "She got a massive boil, the size of an orange, on her wither and she ended up missing about eight days' work," McKay said. "Honestly I didn't think I'd get her to the race.

"I got Tommy Beckett over to massage and work on her last Wednesday and I knew on Friday she was coming right, but I was worried about the work she had missed."

With Tina Comignaghi in the saddle, Courte Zarindi settled midfield and was trapped wide for most of the journey, then moved up four-wide in a line of five horses to challenge on the home turn.

After keeping the favourite, Cambridge visitor Caricature, in a pocket, early in the run home, she worked to the front, but encountered constant pestering on her outside by the Matamata filly Za Za Gabor, who threatened to win at long odds.

With just a nose separating them at the finish, a protest was lodged by the connections of the runner-up.

A build-up of emotions rushed through McKay before she was able to finally celebrate the win and her second NZ Bloodstock Southern Filly of the Year award win, following on from Showemup last year.

- NZ Racing Desk