Racing: Quiet night for Lammas after win

Cameron Lammas was going to celebrate his victory aboard Kerry O'Reilly in the Waikato Times Gold Cup at Te Rapa yesterday with a sleep-in before another busy day of race riding.

Lammas has seven rides at the Auckland Racing Club's meeting at Ellerslie today and, because of the back-to-back racing, intended to have a quiet Saturday night after winning the Group Two $100,000 Te Rapa feature.

"I just love riding at Te Rapa because it seems to be one track on which I show really good judgment, particularly in middle distance races," he said.

"I was a little handier than I really wanted to be early on with Kerry O'Reilly in the Waikato Cup, but we got a really nice drag into the race over the closing 600 metres behind Filante Etoile.

"He's not the type of horse that will win his races by massive margins because he tends to hit the front and thinks that he has done his job.

"He's the best stayer that I've ridden and I'm just thankful that Mr Gibbs (trainer Jim Gibbs) has kept me on him."

The Gibbs-Lammas combination has been in deadly form in feature staying events at Te Rapa over the past 12 months.

Kerry O'Reilly and Lammas won the (Group Two) Counties Cup - run there on November 20.

The Counties Cup was switched after the Counties Racing Club's meeting was abandoned following the opening event at Pukekohe Park.

Gibbs and Lammas won the Waikato Cup 12 months ago with Singing Star.

"When you win a big race like the Waikato Cup it makes all those 4.30am starting times to ride trackwork at Matamata worthwhile.

"Kerry O'Reilly has come back this season a much stronger racehorse and he has won three of his four starts. I'll go anywhere to ride him when he races."

The 5-year-old has been well handled throughout his career by Gibbs, one of the master trainers of stayers in New Zealand.

Earlier in the day, Michael Walker knew something was amiss with outstanding 2-year-old colt Don Garcia 600 metres out from the finish of the Fairview Ford Stakes (Listed).

The hot favourite slipped and battled gamely in the home stretch to finish fifth - just over three lengths behind impressive winner Chant - but the outspoken jockey will not let this performance dent the reputation of the well-bred colt.

"I felt him slip at the 600 metre mark and the track was a little shifty after a big downpour of rain just before the race.

"He has pulled muscles in his hind leg area, possibly up near his rump and that's what I thought may have happened. He won't lose me as a friend, supporter and jockey.

"I'd rather have an injury or bad luck like this happen now as opposed to having it happen in a Group One race."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY