Racing: Ridley replaces Clutterbuck at Rangiora arm of stable

Neill Ridley. Photo / Oamaru Mail

Canterbury horseman Neill Ridley is in the process of taking charge of the Rangiora stable of Jason Bridgman.

Gus Clutterbuck, the incumbent at the North Canterbury establishment, is shifting to Singapore in January to renew his association with trainer Mark Walker. Bridgman took over this season from Walker as trainer for Te Akau Stables based at Matamata.

Ridley has been training in recent years from Grange Farm at Burnham, near Christchurch. The property has changed hands and standardbred trainer Mark Jones is due to shift there in February from a nearby property.

Ridley earlier trained at Oamaru and in Southland.

King Montrose, Le Alto and Smuggly are now in the Rangiora stable after being transferred.

King Montrose won a rating 75 2000m at the NZ Cup meeting. The King's Chapel 4-year-old had won his previous start at Wingatui after being tried in blinkers.

Smuggly won a 2200m maiden at Wingatui on November 2.

Le Alto has won nine races, including the 2008 Hororata Cup and the Dunedin Cup Trial at Riccarton twice.

Bridgman has A La Votre, Mr Momentum, Latinus, Royal Excess and Doyenne engaged at Washdyke today.

A La Votre (race 2) has not raced since she won over 1600m at Washdyke on October 31. She is racing over the same distance today with Jason Collett the rider.

Clutterbuck is taking King's Rose to Awapuni for the $70,000 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) on December 11. King's Rose won the NZ One Thousand Guineas at Riccarton at her last start.

The Michael Pitman-trained El Chico is under orders to race in Australia in the new year.

"I intend to go back to Melbourne in February with between six and eight horses and I will take El Chico," Pitman said.

El Chico was bought by Pitman and Otautau owners John and Evelyn Carran this year and won first up for them at Ashburton in October.

Pitman won the Apache Cat Stakes at Cranbourne with Coup Align and he was also successful with So Elusive when campaigning a team in Victoria this spring. So Elusive is now trained at Cranbourne by Pat Hyland.

Eel Win was spelled in Australia.

Draconic, another winner for the stable at the Cup meeting, has been set for the Timaru Cup on December 28.