Rugby: New hobby for Hurricanes

Hurricanes rugby player Paul Tito reckons he hasn't had a great punting career so far.

So he hopes his new interest will change that, even if it's intended name does not indicate a great year for the Hurricanes coming up.

Tito is syndicate manager for a bunch of Hurricanes players, team officials and a top racing identity who have leased a Zabeel two-year-old filly due to get to the races in the next few weeks.

While the name has yet to be accepted, the syndicate has offered "Rockbottom" as its choice, a name suited for the day they named it -- when all the Hurricanes were feeling totally drained a few weeks into their first training camp of the new campaign.

"Everyone was pretty rocked . . . and at the bottom," Tito said. "Hopefully the horse will not follow its name."

Syndicate members are Cambridge Stud chief Sir Patrick Hogan, New Plymouth trainer Allan Sharrock, Hurricanes manager Tony Bedford, assistant coach David Rennie and players Tito, Daryl Lilley, David Holwell, Jason Spice, and Christian Cullen.

Rennie and Bedford have the most racehorse experience. Bedford has had parts in five racehorses, including a six-race winner Hooter Bedford, and Rennie and Upper Hutt mayor Wayne Guppy have raced a couple of horses in Melbourne, including five-race winner Lady Eli.

Lilley was also a member of a Crusaders' syndicate which had a pacer (Pressure Man), but he admits he'd like this new one to perform much better than Pressure Man's one third in eight starts.

The syndicate was a natural follow-up to several of the players, Bedford and Rennie all having an interest in a punt. Bedford and Sharrock's friendship goes back several years, and Tito is also a close friend of the trainer.

"A few of the boys are into a bit of betting," Tito said. "So we decided we may as well lease a horse. I know Allan (Sharrock) quite well, and he talked to Sir Patrick - and he's given us a pretty good filly.

"It's at the stable, it's had three gallops and it's shown a good turn of speed," Tito said.

But the effort made the filly shin sore, and Sharrock has turned it out for a couple of weeks.

That's delayed the possible racing start, which could have been as early as the New Plymouth March 12 meeting, but that might be a blessing in disguise because the Hurricanes will be in South Africa at that stage.

It was preferable that the syndicate members were at the meeting where the horse started, Tito said. "If we're in South Africa when the horse starts I'm sure we can get a bet on."

But there's no hurry. Zabeels traditionally do not make great two-year-olds, so a short first-year career is planned anyway.

And hopes for it?

"Heck, you never know with horses. You could have a donkey or you could have another great horse. We're willing to take that punt. The boys are into their racing and it's all about having a good time."

Sharrock stable star Michael Walker has already been tipped as the horse's rider.

- NZPA