Five to Follow -13 September
PERFORMANCE OF THE WEEK
Sam Bergerson
Given he has only held his trainer’s licence for just over a month, Sam Bergerson has had a dream start to his training career. Not only did he and training partner, Mark Walker, win the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy on Saturday with Skew Wiff, they also trained three other winners on the card, which included the other two feature races with Tokyo Tycoon and Quintessa. This brought their tally to 24 wins from 68 starters this season, the young trainer is having a great start to his career.
FLASHING LIGHT
Impendabelle
The run of Impendabelle in the Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders Assn Gold Trail Stakes was exceptional. After being hampered severely shortly after the gates opened, Impendabelle found herself back at the rear of the field. With the race being run at a fairly slow tempo for a Gr.3 over 1200m, Impendabelle did very well to run past a few in the straight, recording some slick closing sectionals in the process (fastest closing 400m and 200m of the meeting).
BEATEN FAVOURITE
Monday Melody & Geriatrix
Backers of these beaten short-price favourites won’t be feeling all too forgiving, however, you simply have to put a line through the debut performances of Monday Melody & Geriatrix. These two Wexford trained 3yo colts, who ran in Races 4 & 5 respectively at Avondale on Wednesday, looked to simply be a victim of the testing track conditions they faced first up. I would expect significantly improved runs from them both at their next start, they both look to have plenty of upside and won’t be in maiden grade for much longer.
FIRST-UP FOLLOW
Pearl Of Alsace
The resuming run of progressive mare, Pearl Of Alsace, was the run of the meeting out of Ruakaka on Saturday. She was first-up since running and unlucky 4th in the Gr.1 NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes in April, having only had a single very quiet trial in the interim. Pearl Of Alsace could be one to follow for the season ahead, especially as she gets up over a mile and further heading into some feature targets in the near future.
