Determination and her refusal to flinch when placed under pressure was the key factor in the manner that the talented Cawbourne Krusty bravely won the $15,825 Active Electrical New Zealand St Leger at the Addington Raceway on Thursday evening.
Pictured: Cawbourne Krusty delivering her bold NZ St Leger win over a gallant Egomaniacal (pic Dave Robbie)
The Matt Roberts prepared Cawbourne Krusty hopped smartly away from the two trap to hold the rail during the charge into the first turn. Egomaniacal also promptly push forward for his trainers Dave and Jean Fahey to place himself on Cawbourne Krusty’s outside.
Holding the rail was to be the vital tactic that Cawbourne Krusty used as this pair then raced paw to paw throughout the entire journey. Egomaniacal even got his head in front of Cawbourne Krusty when they reached the end of the back straight, but there was no way she was going to hand up the race lead to him.
Cawbourne Krusty kicked on strongly over the final few bounds which resulted in her claiming her Group 2 victory after 30.11s of hard out chasing. Egomaniacal was real brave when he wound up just a head behind.
Dave’s Dot was also bold when she chased after the pace makers also for the entire journey and she was rewarded with her third placing a further two lengths astern for her trainer John McInerney. She also bravely responded to the pressure placed on her throughout by the Craig Roberts prepared race favourite Avenger Bale when she held him at bay by a head margin.
“That was a real gutsy effort by Krusty as she stuck to her guns all-the-way when she wouldn’t let Egomaniacal pass her. She outmuscled him, even when he got his head in front of her at one point.
“Yes holding the rail certainly was important. She is turning into a phenomenal bitch having already done a heck of a lot so early in her career. I have to acknowledge the work that Dad (Craig) did with her during the week when he looked after her for me – he did that part real good,” said Roberts junior.
Cawbourne Krusty certainly is quickly putting together a very tidy looking career record with this win being her ninth in just her 13th race day outing, while she finished second in her other four races. Her career stake earning has rocketed up to an impressive $43,988 for her owners Stu Dickinson and Warren Bronson. Aside from the NZ St Leger also contributing to her earnings has been her recent NZ Futurity victory, plus her second placing behind her kennelmate Cawbourne Taber in the New Zealand Oaks.
Manukau race goers a likely to see Cawbourne Krusty, who is still only C3 graded, in her next assignment as her mentor advises. “I spoke to Stu this morning and we feel the Auckland Oaks (June 2) would be a nice race for her. She will have to race at Manukau sometime soon so yes the Auckland Oaks looks ideal for her at this stage of her career.”
Matt Roberts’s brother Dan undertook the handling duties for Cawbourne Krusty; Cawbourne Krusty is flanked by runner up Egomaniacal and the third placed Dave’s Dot on the Christchurch GRC podium following her Active Electrical NZ St Leger win (pics Dave Robbie)
Power Packed Harding Cup Victory
Sheer power prevailed when the $7,500 Murray Wigley @Ray White Harding Cup was decided over the 295m dash also at the Addington Raceway on Thursday evening. Grid Lock bounced his way out of the six trap to seize the early race lead which he never looked like giving away.
The Dave and Jean Fahey prepared sprinter completed his assignment in 17.11s, holding a 2.25 length margin over the consistent sprinter Fired Up Jed from the Bruce Dann kennels. Keeping up a bold sprint throughout was Wow Madonna and she was rewarded with her third placing another length and a quarter behind for her owners/trainers Margret and Peter Binnie.
It was only Grid Lock’s second race since he crossed the Tasman for his owing Punter’s HQ syndicate. He indicated that he is going to be a force to be reckoned with for a long time within the South Island sprinting ranks.
Grid Lock delivering his powerful Murray Wigley @Ray White Harding Cup Thursday victory; Dave and Jean Fahey’s kennel foreman Ross Mathers handled Grid Lock and he’s pictured here with Christchurch chairman Chris Earl (right), race sponsor Murray Wigley and Christchurch board member Janine Jopson (pics Dave Robbie).
By Peter Fenemor
