Winter Cup option for Yamuna

The Andrew Carston-trained mare Yamuna impressed when winning the Garrard and Livamol Rating 74 (1600m) at Phar Lap Raceway in Timaru on Sunday.

Ridden by stable apprentice Kozzi Asano, the daughter of Iffraaj got off to a good start from barrier five, settling in midfield before gunning down the leaders late to score by a neck.

Now the winner of five races and placed on a further 10 occasions, Yamuna is raced under Ray and Ann Cattle’s Anray Holdings Ltd banner.

“She’s a handy horse,” Carston said. “She’s been pretty consistent and she was a little unlucky in her last two runs so we went into the race with a bit of confidence.

“It was great to have her back in the winners’ circle and good to get another win for Ray and Ann who have been good supporters of the stable.”

While Carston is yet to confirm her next start he indicated that he has a black-type race in mind for Yamuna. 

“We’ll just take her through the winter and pick and choose our races,” he said. “I’m not in a rush to make a decision where we go next but I did put a nomination in for the Winter Cup (Gr.3, 1600m) so that’s probably a long term aim if she keeps going in the right direction.”

Bred by Haunui Farm, Yamuna is by former shuttle stallion Iffraaj out of the multiple race-winning Yamanin Vital mare Yamanna.

Dashing Triumph a debut winner

Trainer Peter Ho was not surprised when Dashing Triumph defied market expectations to win the Tung Wan Shan Plate (1000m) for Griffins at Sha Tin on Sunday under Dylan Mo despite the El Roca gelding starting at 27-1 on the basis of a modest trial last month.

The debutant New Zealand-bred winner was Ho’s first Griffin race winner for 23 years.

“This (winning) was what I was expecting because before the race I spoke with the owner and said ‘This is a nice horse, he does everything alright, no headaches for the trainer and he’s always willing to try’,” Ho said.

“After his 800-metre trial (on 10 May), he woke up – he knows the game already – and this was not a strong field, that’s why this is not unexpected at all.”

Dashing Triumph was bred by Gerry Harvey and is by Westbury Stud stallion El Roca, who is the sire of four winners in Hong Kong this season, headlined by high-class sprinter Lucky Patch.