Riccarton Park trainer Terri Rae capped off a successful New Zealand Cup Week with an impressive double on Saturday, courtesy of fast-improving pair Spot On Time and Texas Dolly.
A mare by Ace High, Texas Dolly had been the unlucky runner at the opening meeting, struggling to obtain clear running in the straight and powering home into third behind Hivari.
On the seven-day back-up, Rae and jockey Michael McNab formulated a plan to avoid a repeat of that misfortune, and despite a low barrier draw, Texas Dolly settled back in the field and managed to get clear air on the outside, storming to victory in the finish by 1 – ¼ lengths.
McNab’s delight was evident with a celebratory salute over the line, an emotion shared by Rae.
“We were a little bit worried about her draw, because she has to get right back and finish off, and we ended up with barrier two,” she said.
“We made a bit of a plan to go right back and come across to the outside, and it was good to see, because she was very unlucky on the first day.
“Michael was pretty pleased to get that done as well, he gets along very well with her little ownership group.”
Texas Dolly’s affinity with the chute began in her debut last season, and after mixed performances over further distance in the following starts, Rae is happy to keep her where she is so effective.
“It was only because of the fillies’ series that we went out to that range, she was ridden cold in that first win over 1200 and came home in a blistering 600, and she never really got that same run again,” Rae said.
“She was up outside the leader over 2000m for the first time on a rain-affected track, and nothing really went to plan in the mile either.
“We put her out and started again, she’s got such a good finish on her that we’ll just keep her to what she’s doing at the 1200.
“There isn’t any racing for her down here coming up, we’re looking at taking both her and Spot On Time up to Trentham, because it’s a great long straight and really suits the pattern of her racing.”
Out of a Savabeel mare Saveadance, Texas Dolly is a half-sister to Sassy Merlot, who won the Listed Great Easter Stakes (1400m) in April at the course, alongside placings at Group Two and Three level. Bred by Advantageous Ventures, the mare was purchased for $23,000 by Riversley Park at the 2022 Karaka Yearling Sales, and has earned nearly $60,000 in eight starts for her ownership group.
Progressive gelding Spot On Time completed a race-to-race double for Rae in the following event, the Wuhan Jockey Club Premier (1400m).
Carrying 54kg in the hands of Kelly Myers, the son of Time Test was the odds-on favourite at $1.80, and his performance was right up to that standard, settling outside of the speed before putting the field to bed in the straight, the final margin being four lengths to Epee Beel.
“He went really well, it was his only run of the week as there wasn’t a huge amount for him to choose from, and we were a bit worried about the rain-affected ground, but he does seem to go on anything,” Rae said.
“He’s really nice and sharp over 1400, so we’ll look at keeping to that with him for now too.”
Spot On Time is fashioning an enviable strike rate, with four wins from just nine starts, alongside three seconds and a third. The five-year-old was bred by Kamada Bloodstock and races in their colours.
Rae has a similarly impressive strike rate of her own, picking up another two wins across the week with Our Man Stan and Full Moon Fever.
“We had a pretty good week, we only had a small team of about 12 for the week and a couple are young ones, so it was good,” she said.
“We had a couple of unlucky runners and some who got the luck, which is all part of racing. You get those bigger fields and there’s always going to be unlucky runners, but they’ve run very well.
“We’ve got a great little team of staff which always helps too.”