Cambridge trainer Shelley Hale is hoping she can produce a two-pronged attack on Saturday's Manco Easter Stakes at Ellerslie after Seventh Up's comfortable victory at Tauranga over the weekend.
The lightly raced six-year-old made it three wins from three starts at Tauranga when he cruised to success in the day's feature event, the Taste Of Asia Mount Maunganui 1400.
Punters who installed the Shinko King gelding as a warm favourite for the contest were on good terms with themselves as veteran rider Grant Cooksley produced a copybook display to land the victory. Cooksley bounced Seventh Up from the gates to take up a forward position before sending his charge to the lead upon straightening. Under a very kind ride Seventh Up found the line strongly to score by a half-length and set himself up for a tilt at this weekend's Ellerslie group two feature. Hale is also hopeful her sprinter-miler Go Nicholas can also gain a start in the race, providing her boutique stable with two live chances.
"His rating is lower than Seventh Up so he might miss out on a start," she said.
- NZ Racing Desk