Wolfgang all geared up for G3 New Zealand Cup

CHRISTCHURCH It might not be the Cup they were aiming for this spring, but trainers Peter and Shaun McKay are looking forward to heading south towards Christchurch to contest the NZ$250,000 (S$184,000) Group 3 New Zealand Cup (3,200m) at Riccarton Park on Nov 15 with their handy stayer Wolfgang.

The Puccini seven-year-old gelding was campaigning towards the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3,200m) – which was taken out by the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Half Yours on Nov 4 – but the father-and-son training partnership abandoned that mission following Wolfgang’s three unplaced runs in Melbourne.

He returned to New Zealand and made an instant impact, carrying 61.5kg to win under former Kranji jockey Craig Grylls in the Waikato Cup Prelude (2,400m) at Te Rapa on Oct 27, which sealed his ticket south to contest the Group 3 feature.

“Things didn’t quite go right for him in Melbourne, but it (New Zealand Cup) is a good Plan B, and it is a nice race to try and chase,” said Peter McKay.

“He had a really good kick on the corner (last start), but his fitness gave out a little bit. He did spend eight days in a paddock in Melbourne, and he was only back here just short of a fortnight, hence it was a pretty good win carrying the weight.

“A couple of horses in behind him have gone a good race next start in the Group race (Group 3 Balmerino Stakes over 2,000m).

“He is going to cart a bit of weight, which is to be expected, but we are very happy with the way he is going into the race.”

Wolfgang is proven over two miles, having won the Group 3 Wellington Cup (3,200m) at Trentham on Jan 18, and McKay is looking forward to stepping him out over the distance once more.

“The further he goes, the better he is,” he said.

“But there are some nice chances in the race, so he is going to have to be at the top of his game to carry 59kg and beat them.”

With odds of 16-1, Wolfgang will be ridden by Joe Doyle in the 162nd edition of the New Zealand Cup, while the favourite is the Adrian Bull-trained Titicaca at 29-10.

Local racing fans will be familiar with prominent Kiwi outfits Te Akau Racing and Fortuna NZ, who used to race horses at Kranji with four-time Singapore champion trainer Mark Walker and Donna Logan.

Walker, now in training partnership with Sam Bergerson, will field two runners, I’m A Dirty Rascal for Te Akau Racing and Court Of Appeal for Fortuna NZ in the same race.

Grylls will ride I’m A Dirty Rascal – who is the second-favourite at 7-1 – while 2024 Singapore champion jockey Bruno Queiroz will be on board Court Of Appeal (13-1).

Te Akau’s South Island-based assistant trainer Hunter Durrant said both Court Of Appeal and I’m A Dirty Rascal are on track for the New Zealand Cup, albeit they took different paths to the race.

An eight-year-old son of Galileo, I’m A Dirty Rascal last won the Road To The Jericho Benchmark 82 Handicap (3,000m) on Oct 25.

The Eminent five-year-old mare Court Of Appeal has bounced out of a tough run for sixth in the Listed Metropolitan Trophy (2,600m) on Nov 8.

“She (Court Of Appeal) was just caught wide but has come through it really well,” said Durrant. “She had a buck and a squeal coming off the track this morning, which is always a positive sign.

“We’ll press on to the Cup, you wouldn’t think she’d had a run as of Monday afternoon.

“I’m A Dirty Rascal was super last start, it was a very long time between wins for him there, but he’s trained on really well. He had a gallop on the course proper last week and has been out to the beach, just doing a few different things to spark him up.

“I couldn’t be happier with him.”

Just one week after Walker and Bergerson’s leading hope Belle Cheval finished third behind Stephen Marsh’s Well Written in the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1,600m) at Riccarton Park on Nov 8, they now have He Who Dares and War Of Silence in the upcoming Group 1 assignment, the NZ$500,000 Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1,600m) on Nov 15.

He Who Dares came off a fourth placing in the Group 2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1,400m) on Nov 1 while War Of Silence ran a luckless third in the Group 3 War Decree Stakes (1,600m) behind stablemate Origin Of Love on Oct 25.

“He Who Dares flies down on Wednesday. My understanding is that he’s going really well,” said Durrant.

“I think War Of Silence is quietly going under the radar. His run was really good in the War Decree and (jockey) Opie (Bosson) believed that if he wasn’t caught wide, he would have won.

“He’s improved since, his coat looks great and his work was outstanding. He hasn’t always been the greatest trackworker, it’s taken him a bit to work things out, but he knows his job now.” LOVERACING.NZ