Manihiki Pearl and Major Classic were both successful on the grass at Thames today (Saturday), following the victory of Ruebe Star at Cambridge last night (Friday).
For Pukekohe trainer Mathew Salaivao, it was a case of ‘right place, right time’ when he, his mum Sue and partner Krystal-Lee Delany were gifted Manihiki Pearl by Small and her former owners.
The daughter of Tintin In America won one race when trained by Small as a three-year-old last season, but when he relinquished the lease on his large barn at the Franklin Park training centre, she was one of about 15 horses that had to go.
“Aria Small rung Krystal asking if she wanted to put her in a saddle to ride her.
“After a while we asked if we were allowed to give her another go and they just gave us the papers and said do what you like with her.”
She had shown some mettle at the workouts for Salaivao this season but was yet to deliver on race day.
“She’s been a bit sore here and there but Clare McGowan has been helping a lot by treating her.
“I trialed her on Tuesday and thought she went pretty good, so was thinking she was a good chance of finishing in the first three today.”
Major Classic won seven races for Small and his longtime owner Laurie Henwood, 86, a South Auckland retirement village resident.
But when Small reduced his team from 16 to four at the end of last season, Henwood’s pride and joy was one of the casualties.
Logan Hollis and Shane Robertson were the benefactors, getting the horse to train, and at Thames they got him back to the winner’s circle in the hands of Hollis at what was their third start with him.
“We had horses grazing at Carol Aitken’s at the same time Geoff did and she organised for us to take him,” said Hollis.
“When he arrived, he had been out for three months and we gelded him the next day.”
He caused a stir when winning running 2.42.9 in a workout at Alexandra Park in mid-December – his first public appearance for Hollis and Robertson.
He went out well-supported on resumption as a result, but ran last.
“He had been working super and that was a really good trial, but he didn’t go any good.
“We couldn’t put it down to anything so we just drew a line under it and went to Cambridge last week in preparation for today.”
Major Classic is somewhat of a grass track specialist – seven of his eight career wins have come on the grass now, including two at Tauherenikau.
“He’ll race at one of the next two grass meetings up here and then we’ll probably look to set him for the Hawera Cup,” said Hollis.
Ruebe Star was a tidy winner on the all-weather at Cambridge on Friday night in the hands of trainer Brent Mangos.
The daughter of Falcon Seelster was bred, and is owned, by another longtime Small client in Michael Siemelink, who previously raced the likes of Zenola Seelster, Zenad and Revagain.
It was nearly four ex-Small horses winning, too, but Somewhereinbrooklyn, who looked home for all money half way down the Parawai straight, was pegged back in the last couple of strides by Lis Rulz.
