Matamata trainer Alan Tait may give Southern Icon another crack at the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa next month.

 

Southern Icon finished eighth in the feature sprint in 2016 and returned 12 months later to run a creditable fourth behind Underthemoonlight.

 

The seven-year-old son of Big Brown was off the scene when the race was run last year, but Tait is hoping a lead-up run at Te Rapa either later this month or early August will have him ready for another attack on the event.

 

“We’ll just see how he goes next start,” Tait said. “He’s well and it’s just the wet tracks that have kept me from racing him since he won.”

 

Southern Icon recorded the 10th win of his career when scoring over 1400m at Hastings on April 27 as a late entry for the race.

 

“After Hastings, he was to run at Ellerslie over the long weekend, but it rained so I scratched him,” Tait said. “He’s not a heavy tracker.”

 

Meanwhile Tait plans to return to Ruakaka this weekend with Time To Fly, who scored an upset win on the track last start.

 

 

After a decade in New Zealand, Canterbury racecaller Mark McNamara has decided to move back to his homeland of Australia in the new season.

 

McNamara will move to Sydney to be closer to family and has secured a role with Sky as a presenter and racecaller.

 

“I’ll be sad to go but I am also looking forward to the new challenge,” McNamara said.

 

“I’m going home to be closer to family so it is a personal decision, but on a professional level I am thrilled to have a role with Sky and looking forward to seeing where that takes me.”

 

With the move, McNamara will also resign from his duties as riding agent for jockeys Zinjete Moki and Samantha Wynne.

 

McNamara’s last day of calling will be at Addington Raceway on August 22.