KEY POINTS:
Trainer Howie Mathews said he always had faith Taikorea could win a good race after the gelding won the $75,000 Wanganui Cup on Saturday at odds of 53-1.
The Otaki horseman, who trains in partnership with wife Lorraine, had lined up Taikorea in last season's Wellington Cup after he had finished third to Everswindell on the second day of the meeting.
Taikorea beat only three home in the big 3200m race, won by Willy Smith, but Mathews said the horse was not disgraced after becoming involved in a duel for the lead.
"He ended up being run into the ground," he said.
"But he was still well in front after straightening. He's got a heart."
Mathews had also eyed last month's New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton with Taikorea but a start did not eventuate after he was well beaten in a lead-up race on the first day of the meeting.
"Things didn't go our way. The track was off the first day and he pulled too hard and he didn't get out in the clear," he said.
The key to Taikorea was letting the horse do his own thing, Mathews said.
"This horse has got to roll along. If he gets back, he pulls too hard. You can't bully him around."
Taikorea, the outsider of the 16-horse field on Saturday, was taken straight to the front by jockey Kate Hercock, kicked ahead at the top of the straight to score by 1 3/4 lengths.
It was the second upset win in a feature race by the Mathews stable within three days. On Thursday, it won the $55,000 Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki with True Valour paying $42.10 for a win.
"As any trainer will tell you, if you get it right on the day, every horse has their day," Mathews said.
But it was not a case of Taikorea being totally out of form. Two starts earlier he had won a rating 90 race over 2100m at Hastings on October 18.
Mathews said he would consider entering Taikorea for the Waikato Cup at Te Rapa on December 15.
- NZPA
