The pacer that won the 2014 Victoria Derby and ran third in Northern Derby that same year, is well and truly back on the road to recovery under new trainer/driver Brent Mangos.
Maxim, who suffered tendon problems after placing behind Tiger Tara and Locharburn in that Group One 3-year-old feature pace in March 2014, is nearing peak form and will now start at the premier meetings at Alexandra Park next month.
The son of Bettor’s Delight and Splendid Deal, who was formerly trained by Barry Purdon, has now had two eye-catching starts for Mangos.
He resumed from a 34-month spell with a promising second behind Stroke Of Luck at Alexandra Park on January 26, and then yesterday (Sunday) he was too classy (from 30m behind) for his nine opponents in the $10,000 Wanganui Cup.
“He jarred up a bit when he resumed, and this time I wanted to give him an easier assignment and a softer surface to run on. That’s why we took him to down to race at the 'River City' on the Wanganui grass.
“It was all about getting fitness into him as well. He seems to be over his problems now and he’s a good wee horse who I think can get back to where he was. I’ll start him again on March 3 at ‘The Park’,” Mangos said.
“The way he feels I see no reason why he can’t get back to being a Free-For-All horse again,” he added.
Mangos settled last at the bell with the bay and then shot him around to the lead down the back straight the last time, before trailing Brainstormer not long after.
He then sat in behind the pace-maker until the home straight before digging deep to beat last month’s Otaki Cup winner, Everything (Nicky Chilcott), by a length.
The now 6-year-old gelding paced the AG Challenge-sponsored 2650m stand in 3:41.8 (mile rate 2:14.6) and came home in 61.6 and 32.1.
It was his sixth win in 23 starts. Maxim has also placed 13 times and banked $405,463 in stakes. He was the $2.10 favourite.
At his peak Maxim was compared in the same breath as former multiple Group One winning stablemate, Sky Major, who ran second behind Maxim in the Victoria Derby and fourth behind him in the Northern Derby.
“He felt real good today and I think he will keep improving. There is no sign of that ole injury, which is heartening. He capped off a really good day for the stable,” the Waiau Pa horseman said.
Mangos had five starters at the Wanganui Trotting Club’s annual meeting for three winners and two thirds. Both of his wins came from warm favourites.
His day started in the best possible fashion when he steered Anse Vata to victory in the first race, and then won behind Smoldering Ashes in the last. They paid $1.50 and $1.60 respectively.
His place-getters were second favourite Saint Michel, who finished third in race four, and then favourite Double Twist repeated the dose two races later.
South Auckland driver Sailesh Abernethy also drove three consecutive winners in races two, three, and four.
They came behind the Brent Weaver trained Extra Guinness; the Jason Cossey trained Megatron; and the Todd Mitchell trained Mighty Sunny.
