Tim and Margaret Carter didn’t expect to have a jumper this winter. But as of a week ago, they have one of the best in the country.
Aigne joined the Cambridge couple’s team last week, and will make his debut for the Carters in the Fairview Motors Waikato Hurdle (3200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.
Aigne had been prepared for most of his jumping career by Kevin Myers but this year rejoined Cambridge trainer Clinton Isdale, who had prepared the horse at the start of his flat career.
However, owner Neil O’Dowd asked the Carters two weeks ago if they would consider preparing the horse.
“Neil and Clinton thought the horse might be better off with us because we’ve got the treadmill and Clinton’s under the pump a little bit with all his young horses, so he’s come over to us,” Tim Carter said.
“We’ve trained a few jumpers before – Nightlife won over hurdles for us (in 1987) – but it’s been a long time since we’ve had a jumper. But Neil and I have known each other since we were young fellas, which is one of the reasons Neil asked us.”
Aigne has won five times and placed on seven occasions over hurdles, and his record would be even better but for running into The Cossack, finishing third to him in the past two Great Northern Hurdles and second in the Grand National Hurdle last year.
The only times he’s been out of the money over sticks was when not completing the course on two occasions this year, the most recent coming when being pulled up by jockey Emily Farr in the KS Browne Hurdle (3100m) at Hastings on June 6.
“I rang Emily the other day and she said he’s the best hurdler she’s ridden by far and he’s handled ground like that before, so the run at Hastings was completely out of the blue for him. She said he never really felt comfortable the whole way but she said he felt fine,” Carter said.
“It was out of the ordinary. I asked Neil ‘are you sure he hasn’t gone amiss’, but we’ve had him checked out and he’s fine.”
Prior to that start Aigne had won the Awapuni Hurdles for a second time, suggesting the race at Hastings may have been a one-off poor performance.
“He’s not a big horse but he works like a big horse. He seems to be in a really good space at the moment,” Carter said.
“Marg’s been riding him and he’s quite a strong horse to ride but Marg is a good rider. She really likes him. We’re quite excited to have the horse and he’s a good project for Margaret.”
Aigne won’t have to face his nemesis, The Cossack, in the Waikato Hurdle but he still has potentially some very good horses to beat, including Tommyra, Dr Hank, and Chief Sequoyah.
“Since we’ve had him he seems to keep picking up and could be enjoying the change of scenery. I wouldn’t be surprised if he puts his best foot forward on Saturday, but you never know,” Carter said.
“He’s got enough weight to carry but he won well enough at Wellington with all that weight so there’s no reason why he shouldn’t run a good one on Saturday.
Aigne will have a change of rider on Saturday as Farr, who has ridden him this season, is committed to ride Tommyra for Bob Autridge. Michael Roustoby will be aboard instead.
“Michael has won on Aigne before and went to ride him in Australia in the Jericho Cup, so he won’t be at a loss for having a rider that doesn’t know him,” Carter said.
The Carters also nominated Buccheri for a maiden 1400m race at Te Rapa but have decided to wait another week as their apprentice Jim Chung is committed to ride Me Liberez.
Buccheri began to show form over summer, finishing second in a 1560m maiden at Rotorua on March 3 and then third in a 2000m maiden at Matamata on March 16, but he hasn’t raced since then.
“After he raced he got tangled up in a gate, as horses do, so we had to wait until all his cuts and bruises healed up and we’ve gone from there,” Carter said.
“It looks like his forte will be staying so we might go straight to a mile next week. Marg galloped him with Little Joe, who’s in that same race, on a heavy track the other day and said she thought he’s suited to a slightly better track.
“We might even run him on the synthetic track at his next start. He’s quite a promising three-year-old.”
The Carters’ only other runner in the next few weeks is likely to be Golden Kiwi, who they bought off Matamata horsewoman Danica Guy for $4000 on gavelhouse.com in March.
“He’s a maiden still but he won a couple of trials. He’s almost ready to go to the races as well.”
Among the horses just coming back into work is Johny Johny, who has won five of his eight starts. At his most recent race he won the Listed Power Turf Sprint (1200m) at Hastings on April 16 and he should be competitive in open sprints over spring.