Racing: Record in sight for trainers

Highlad s win in the Rotorua Cup, in the hands of Jonathan Riddell, signals a spell for the horse. Photo / Trish Dunell

Murray Baker and training partner Andrew Forsman had a couple of reasons to celebrate Highlad's victory in the Rotorua Cup.

With Tomelilla's subsequent victory in the other feature on the day, it set up the record-equalling 114 wins for the season for the stable.

"It equals the 114 record we set up in 2014," said Murray Baker.

It also provided a boost for owner, former Auckland stockbroker Scott Richardson, who has been dealing with health issues lately.

"Scotty's been a great supporter of the stable and between Bjorn [son, training in Sydney] and I we've trained something like 70 winners for him."

Highlad and fellow Rotorua Cup runner from the stable Show The World will not be among those looking to increased the tally of wins. Both are being sent for spells.

"We've always liked Highlad, he's just taken his time to mature."

Tomelilla headed home a stable quinella over Deals In Heels in the Gr.3 ISCL Rotorua Stakes (1400m) to themselves.

The latter was the more fancied of the two, but it was 15-1 chance Tomelilla, a sister by Tavistock to multiple winner Viktor Vegas, who prevailed.

"To win a stakes race with her and the way she's bred is very valuable," Forsman said.

"She had handled a heavy track at Ellerslie, but we didn't really know if she would handle it heavy here."

Tomelilla sat back in the field and rider Troy Harris was able to track Deals In Heels into the race 800m from home and proved too good in the run to the line.

"She was travelling pretty well and it was just a matter on when to let her go," Harris said.

"Once she got to the outside she finished strongly."

Tomelilla drew out close to home to have one and a-quarter lengths on her barn-mate at the post.

"I have to feel a bit sorry for Deals In Heels, she's been stakes placed in two of her three starts this time in," Forsman said.

"She'll get one in time, she just got beaten by a better one today."

●It was a bad day for the New Zealanders in Australia on Saturday.

At Doomben, stewards scratched Cambridge trainer Tony Pike's Sacred Master ($61) from the Listed Members' Handicap (1600m) and The Bostonian ($11) from the Listed Qld Day Stakes (1350m) after it was found that the pair had inadvertently been administered an alkalinising agent on Friday.

The official scratching time was 11.45am on Saturday. Stewards fined Pike $500, accepting there had been a misunderstanding of the differing rules between Australia and New Zealand.

Later at Morphettville, Cambridge-trainer Sherrif got back and ran on late in the South Australia Derby.