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Awapuni Results (Race 4)

Saturday, 2nd April 2016

4
14:38
(local)

Higgins Manawatu Classic (G3)

Age: 3yo Type: OPEN
NZD $70,000
2000m TURF HEAVY
4
14:38
(local)
NZD $70,000
2000m HEAVY

Higgins Manawatu Classic (G3)

Age: 3yo Type: OPEN

This G3 3yo over 2000m was marred by an awful biased wet track at Awapuni on what is a very tricky racing surface these days anyway. The margins from first to last were a staggering fifty-two lengths. All the more hard to believe when you consider the winner Humidor ran eleventh before today in the G1 NZ Derby beaten just under seven lengths and the last finisher today Pieces Of Kate finished twelfth beaten just over eight lengths in the Derby last start. Today they were separated by fifty-two lengths and that is ludicrous especially when the Derby form is stacking up in other places such as providing the G1 ATC Derby winner this weekend at Randwick in Tavago (sixth in NZ Derby) and Valley Girl was second in a G1 in Sydney recently (fifth in NZ Derby). Humidor was ridden forward to sit second chasing a clear leader and the decision to stay on the inside turning for home saw the gelding take the front and never look like giving it up. He won by a length and a quarter and clocked 2:10.70 for 2000m and record his second win in just five starts. Five To Midnight looked briefly a threat near the home turn and tried hard but second was his lot after racing back then improving the inside across the top. The maiden filly Xbeauty ran a solid third after racing sixth mostly and the blacktype she gained will be invaluable as a broodmare. Boxachocolates was okay for fourth while the leader Maritimo was poorly rated pace wise and stopped the run home to finish fifth. Twilight Rebel was not too bad while the next quartet home Rock On, Johnny Lincoln, All In Vogue and Midnight Flyer boxed on covered by three lengths between them. Massive gaps back to the rest in a tired and sorry state with the wet ground clearly a draining factor. The winner Humidor has scope as he is not just a wet tracker. Five To Midnight is in form and can stay while Xbeauty would be odds on if she ran in a maiden middle distance field next time seen out. Give another chance to Maritimo if seen out again as she was midrace five lengths clear and that was never going to leave her with much left in the tank. Not the strongest renewal of this usually solid future guide and the Awapuni track collapsing into a bog so easily means the result overall must have an asterisk of sorts as it is wet track form.

Previous Winners

Date Horse Jockey WT Trainer BP
EXQUISITE JEWEL (NZ) 3F
LUCKY UNICORN (AUS) - GAME DUCHESS (AUS) MONTJEU (IRE)
R J HANNAM 54.5 SUE WALSH & BRUCE GREGORY 12
LADY CUMQUAT (AUS) 3F
DUKE OF MARMALADE (IRE) - IMPOSINGLY (AUS) ZABEEL (NZ)
RORY HUTCHINGS 54.5 R JAMES 8
SURVIVED (NZ) 3G
ZED (NZ) - LIBERAL (NZ) GENEROUS (IRE)
J K RIDDELL 56.5 JOHN BARY 9
BEST SHOW (NZ) 3G
DARCI BRAHMA (NZ) - STARYN GLENN (NZ) MONTJEU (IRE)
JAMES MCDONALD 56.5 MURRAY BAKER & ANDREW FORSMAN 5
STARCHEEKA (AUS) 3G
STARCRAFT (NZ) - BORN A STAR (AUS) CANNY LAD (AUS)
H S TINSLEY 56.0 STEPHEN MCKEE 7
TIME KEEPER (NZ) 3C
STRAVINSKY (USA) - ORGANDY (USA) OUR EMBLEM (USA)
D M WALSH 56.0 GRAEME NICHOLSON & PAUL ALLBON 13
IZONIT (NZ) 3G
VOLKSRAAD (GB) - LABEL BASHER (NZ) CONQUISTAROSE (USA)
JAMES MCDONALD 56.0 VANESSA HILLIS 1
OUR VALPOLICELLA (NZ) 3F
RED RANSOM (USA) - OUR RIESLING (NZ) LAST TYCOON (IRE)
G MCKEON 54.5 R JAMES 12
PASTA POST (NZ) 3G
POSTPONED (USA) - BLUE HEAVEN (NZ) CENTAINE (AUS)
S L COLLINS 56.0 GRAEME SANDERS & DEBBIE SWEENEY 10
CONGRATS (NZ) 3G
ISTIDAAD (USA) - ABITA BLUE (NZ) BLUES TRAVELLER (IRE)
A CALDER 56.0 15
KING JOHNY (NZ) 3G
SEASONED STAR (AUS) - LAL'S GIFT (NZ) NOBLE BIJOU (USA)
H S TINSLEY 56.0 RAYMOND CONNORS 15
DOWRY (NZ) 3F
BAHHARE (USA) - DESTINED FOR ME (NZ) NOBLE BIJOU (USA)
D G BRADLEY 54.5 M BAKER 7
WOBURN (NZ) 3G
GROOM DANCER (USA) - HARRIET (NZ) KAAPSTAD (NZ)
H S TINSLEY 55.5 A SHARROCK 12
THE CHEEK (NZ) 3F
KAAPSTAD (NZ) - THE DIMPLE (NZ) NOBLE BIJOU (USA)
T K ALLAN 54.5 COLIN & RICHARD YUILL 15
GORDON'S (NZ) 3F
KAAPSTAD (NZ) - DASH (NZ) SOVEREIGN EDITION (IRE)
H S TINSLEY 54.0 P O'SULLIVAN 2
SPOTTSWOODE (NZ) 3F
CENTAINE (AUS) - FIFTEEN REASONS (NZ) SOUND REASON (CAN)
M T COLEMAN 54.0 R JAMES 13