The Anderton family will bid to add to their impressive tally of victories in Saturday’s Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight-For-Age (1600m) with stakes winner Burgie at Wingatui on Saturday.
Brian Anderton twice won the race with A Gordon For Me (1992-93) and subsequently in partnership with his son Shane with Perceptible (2002), Coulee (2017), Tommy Tucker (2018) and Gallant Boy (2019).
They are justifiably proud of their record, and more importantly their association with the feature event, although it will be a bittersweet occasion after the sad passing of family matriarch Lorraine last year.
“It’s the first one without Lorraine, but life goes on and it’s the longest single sponsored race (since 1974) in New Zealand,” Brian Anderton said.
“We look forward to it every year and next year will be exciting with the big day and the White Robe will be shifted to March.”
Wingatui will host the newly created feature day with the White Robe one of a number of black type races to be staged, as well as the Southern Mile Final (1600m), on March 1.
Stable representative Burgie is a White Robe home-bred and raced mare by resident stallion Ghibellines, with her three wins featuring the Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m), and she was also runner-up in last season’s Gr.3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).
The five-year-old was most recently unplaced at Riccarton, although she had a valid excuse after she was denied clear air in the run home.
“It was a bit of a second thought to start her here really, we took her to Christchurch but she didn’t get a run at them at all and she came home and we were going to give her a week off,” Anderton said.
“Shane and I then had a talk about it and we thought we’d give her an opportunity and we’ve got Terry Moseley back on her. She’ll definitely be running on.”
The stable will also have two in-form contenders in the Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) with Capo Dell Impero and Exchange to go head-to-head.
Capo Dell Impero won the Cromwell Cup (2030m) three starts back before he was unplaced over 1600m at Timaru and then stepped back up to a staying role on his home track to land the Waikouaiti Cup (2200m).
Corey Campbell will continue his association with the gelding, who will have to shoulder 58kg.
“He’s got a bit of weight and it gets hard with a seven-win horse, we’ll get this race over with him and then we’ll have to look hard at his future, whether it be overseas or not,” Anderton said.
Exchange made a good fist of his last start return to middle distance racing when runner-up in the Gore Cup (2000m).
“He went a good race at Gore and he will improve too, that was his first run over a bit of ground for a while,” Anderton said.
“They are both in good form and we expect good runs from them.”