Iain Hyndman's Taranaki Tips
1: Charlie Horse, Sheriff's Daughter, Party At Paeroa
2: Kirkintilloch, Locharburn, Ava Marie
3: Middagurd, Kotahi, Our Chloe
4: Rosewood, Scapolo, Art Deco
5: English Gambler, Back In A Flash, Ole Ole
6: Mount Midoriyama, Inca Warrior, Batchelor Babe
7: Verry Flash, Igraine, Dark Princess
8: High Quality, Wooden Edge, Razors Edge
Best Bet: Mount Midoriyama (R6)
Lauren Brennan was only too happy to tweak the programme of emerging staying prospect English Gambler when the opportunity came to tackle New Zealand's richest special conditions maiden race.
An impressive last-start 10-length maiden winner over 1600m at Tauranga, English Gambler was preparing for his for first start in Rating 65 company at New Plymouth on Saturday when Brennan received a call from New Plymouth's Jim Martin.
Martin bought a slot for tomorrow's $100,000 Platinum Homes Taranaki Challenge (1400m) when Taranaki Racing announced in February it would host a race for horses that had not won a race before June 1, a sweepstake-type race run along the lines of Sydney's A$13 million The Everest.
"We weren't going in it. There's a mile race the same day but we got a phone call last week asking whether we'd be interested in running," Brennan said.