KEY POINTS:
Tough-as-teak Matamata stayer Valley Chief may have extended his long season by one more race following his gutsy win in the $130,000 Hawke's Bay Cup yesterday.
Matamata trainer Mark Brosnan - who has won three other Group Two races this season with top filly Veloce Bella - says the career handicap highlight could tempt him back for the $130,000 Rotorua Cup (2200m) on May 12.
Two of Valley Chief's owners, breeder Terry McDermott and Johnny Newton, are keen to sign off on the 5-year-old's breakthrough season with a Group Three victory in Rotorua.
McDermott is a former trainer at Arawa Park, while Newton is a long-time Racing Rotorua committeeman.
"That would keep the boys happy, but he's been up for a while and he's done a good job this campaign," Brosnan told nzracingnews.co.nz.
Yesterday's 2200m victory was Valley Chief's fifth success since resuming over 1350m at Paeroa last September.
If he doesn't bounce back from Hastings in time for the Rotorua feature, the camp can't blame Hawke's Bay Cup rider Reese Jones.
Jones gave the Colombia gelding the sweetest trip imaginable.
From the five gate, Jones soon had Valley Chief stalking third on the fence behind last year's runner-up Gorgeous George and Desert Flight.
When Gorgeous George and Darryl Bradley rolled off the paint on the turn, Jones drove Valley Chief through the gap to take a lead he never looked like relinquishing.
Gorgeous George fought bravely for second with lightweight Kaapeon Way running home strongly for third, just ahead of Taikorea, Ring of Fire and favourite Cypress Point.
The latter two were on trial for Queensland campaigns and should have done enough to seal their tickets despite their defeats.
Ring Of Fire had to pass two vet inspections for a knock to the eye before the race, while Cypress Point got too far back in the running for Gavin McKeon to be a threat. He had just two behind him turning for home but ran home stylishly in the straight.
Cypress Point's Queensland targets include a first-up run in the A$100,000 Cronus Chairman's Handicap (2020m) on May 7.
Cambridge trainer Frank Ritchie was rapt with Gorgeous George's run.
Last year's Brisbane Cup runner-up went into the Hawke's Bay Cup a run short after sustaining a muscle tear injury around Christmas.
But he never flinched in the run home, confirming he is on target for a Brisbane Cup (2400m) repeat, and also possibly a start in the newly placed Queensland Cup (3200m) on July 7.
