Age has certainly not wearied Ken Rae and Krystal Williams’ senior gallopers The Buffer and Zelenski, and the consistent pair pose a key threat in the Kurow Cup West Coast Steeplechaser (1400m) on Saturday.
The Buffer has been a mainstay in the Rae/Williams stable for several seasons, and flourished in the regional Cup events last summer picking up the Ashburton Cup (1600m), Cromwell Cup (2030m) and Kumara Gold Nuggets (1810m).
Fittingly a son of Reliable Man, The Buffer provided Williams’ apprentice Danika Wilson with her first victory in the saddle in late September, and her four-kilogram claim will provide weight relief at Kurow, bringing his allotted weight down to 58kg.
“He’s had a couple of weeks off since his last run in Cup Week, but he’s come back probably a lot brighter than when we turned him out,” Williams said.
“He’s looking good going into the race, I’m quite happy with how he’s working.”
Zelenski had been equally as consistent in the Southern Cup races in the Autumn despite often hauling the top-weight, with victories in the Waimate Cup (1600m) and Amberley Cup (1600m).
Tough runs during New Zealand Cup Week at Riccarton and the Cromwell Carnival were forgivable for the seven-year-old, who will carry a more competitive 57kg on Saturday courtesy of apprentice Crystal Lindsay.
“I was originally aiming him for the Timaru Cup (1600m), but he had a bit of a nick on his leg that blew up so we’ve had to backtrack and go for the Kurow Cup instead,” Williams said.
“He will be fine over the 1400m though, then they’ll both head over to the West Coast after that.”
Williams plans to have three other starters at the Kurow meeting and hopes to see progressive filly Zlatna break maiden status to kick-off a potential Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand Oaks (2400m) campaign in the Commodore Hotel (1400m).
The daughter of Proisir built nicely in her five-start preparation to a second behind Lord Donovan over 1400m during Cup Week and contends with the ace draw on Saturday.
“She’s very well in her coat, she’s turned into a different horse with her manners around the stable, she’s behaving well and she’s come on a lot since she placed over Cup Week,” Williams said.
“We’re trying to get that maiden win with her, we’re hoping to aim her for the Oaks because we think she’ll get that distance quite nicely, but that’s a long-term goal.
“We’re just working on the short-term and getting a few wins with her at the moment.”
Deteriorating track conditions could impact Berbezier’s start in the Coupland Bakeries (1200m), while capable gelding Follow Your Dreams will contest the McKeown Petroleum & Coupland’s Working Dog Biscuit (1400m) after mixing form recently.
“With Berbezier, it all depends on the track. We were talking to people that live down there and they said it should be a Soft, but if it’s anything worse than that we won’t start him. He needs that good track,” Williams said.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Follow Your Dreams go a good race soon, it wasn’t that good of a run for him last start, he was a bit slow at the gates and came a bit wide. He’s definitely running home nicely so I can see him picking up a win soon.”