Racing: Top feature hope Volpe Veloce impresses on return

Johnathan Parkes on Volpe Veloce wins easily at Te Rapa. Photo / Trish Dunell

Volpe Veloce will head to Hastings in fine fettle in her quest for a full house of stakes victories.

A star turn from last season with group two, three and listed successes, she will attempt to complete her black type box set in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy on September 2.

Volpe Veloce warmed up for the opening leg of the Hawke's Bay Triple Crown series with an effortless win in the Distinction Hamilton Motel 1200 at Te Rapa on Saturday.

"We're absolutely over the moon," said Graham Richardson, who trains Volpe Veloce with Gavin Parker. "It's a great result and she's on target."

Up against the open sprinters, Volpe Veloce jumped smartly to race outside the leader and regular rider Johnathan Parkes allowed her a little more rein to hit the front at the top of the straight.

The Whanganui jockey was afforded the luxury of several glances over his shoulder as he let the daughter of Foxwedge coast to the line.

"We wanted to ride her positively and take bad luck out of the equation," Parkes said.

"She was pretty much bolting at the 600 and I just had to hold her up. She gave me a super feeling on the turn - she's back big time."

Volpe Veloce was out on her own by two and a half lengths at the post from Il Cavallo, who finished well after racing three wide toward the back of the field. Close Up came from last under his topweight of 60kg for third money and he is now likely to return in a fortnight for the Gr.2 Lisa Chittick Foxbridge Plate.

Progressive stayer Bee Tee Junior delivered on his trainer's pre-race confidence when he strode to an impressive victory over 2100 metres at Te Rapa on Saturday.

Interviewed prior to the race, trainer Shaune Ritchie found it hard to find a negative about his charge's chances and so it proved as the rugged Nom Du Jeu gelding scored with plenty in hand in the rating 85 contest. Handled superbly by rejuvenated rider Troy Harris, Bee Tee Junior jumped nicely from his handy barrier draw to take up a prominent position behind the early speed.

Harris didn't panic as the pair found themselves shuffled back to beyond midfield when the field slowed up in the middle stages, carefully biding his time before angling for a run at the top of the straight. Asked for an effort Bee Tee Junior found a sustained sprint that carried him past the eventual runner-up Stokers Rock and on to a narrow but comfortable short neck victory.

The victory has enhanced Bee Tee Junior's prospects of a possible New Zealand Cup start later in the year.

- NZ Racing Desk