In Brief
- McCulloch confident Endured can make up for debut loss.
- Saddle slip was costly.
- Newhart looks to make atone in opener.
Well-bred filly Endured made quite an impression without winning on debut in Launceston last Wednesday and would only need to reproduce that form to win the Rexel 3YO maiden over 1200 metres Saturday at Ladbrokes Racing Centre in Launceston.
Audrey (Stan Tsaikos) defeats first starter Endured in race three.
The Graeme McCulloch-trained filly loomed to win on debut, but the saddle slipped, and Audrey was able to hang on to win.
It was an unlucky defeat on debut, but her trainer Graeme McCulloch is confident she can make amends.
“If nothing silly happens like it did when the saddle slipped on her debut then I expect her to win this race,” McCulloch said.
“She has trained on since her first-up run and even the wide barrier draw (12) shouldn’t be a factor because she has good enough early speed to overcome the wide gate.”
Endured is by Toorak Toff from Vivacious and was bred by Richard Foster and John Kingston who also bred the filly’s dam.
Newhart warrants a win
Ladbrokes Devonport Cup prospect Newhart faces arguably the toughest test of his short career when he takes on a handy field in a benchmark 84 handicap in the opening race.
But his trainer Leanne Gaffney says the gelding is ready for the test and expects him to notch his fourth win at only his seventh start.
R1 Newhart (Craig Newitt) wins in Devonport May 26
Newhart was an unplaced odds-on favourite at his first start for Gaffney in Devonport two weeks ago in a class three handicap over 1150 metres.
“Newhart has done exceptionally well since his first-up run and while he’s racing well out of his grade on Saturday it isn’t a big field (seven) and a couple of them (Settler‘s Stone and Glass Warrior) look like they are in for conditioning runs for races over longer journeys later in the season,” Gaffney said.
“If my horse is going to tackle a Devonport Cup, he would have to show something in this race to warrant progressing to the Cup.”
Newhart’s jockey Craig Newitt is adamant the gelding is good enough to win the race.
“On sheer ability, this is a very winnable race for Newhart,” Newitt said.
“I know he was beaten last start, but everything was against him as far as how the race was run and copping a check in the home straight didn’t help.
“Saturday’s race is a different ball game because it’s over a more suitable trip (1400m) and it is a nice stepping stone to the Ladbrokes Devonport Cup.”
Watch the replay of Endured running second on debut in Launceston last month: