Local trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman went home happy men from Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Wednesday after scoring four wins and reclaiming the lead for the South Island Trainers’ Premiership.
The father-and-son team kicked the day off well with Russian Rosette (NZ) (Russian Revolution), who made it back-to-back wins in the Grand National Tickets On Sale Now MAAT (1200m).
“She did it pretty comfortably again. A special conditions maiden, I thought it was a race that was hers for the taking and she proved that sentiment,” Matthew Pitman said.
“She will probably go to that next meeting on the poly now and have one more run before having a little let-up and we may target some bigger races for her in the spring.
“She looks like a nice, progressive filly that is going places.”
Pitman was delighted to get the result for her group of owners, which includes the 50-strong Pitman Racing $2 A Day Syndicate.
“Most of the syndicate were here again today,” he said.
“They are a great group of people who love going to the races and enjoy the day out and enjoy seeing their horse race well.
“A couple of them got pretty emotional and they all had a great time, that is what racing is all about.”
Pitman didn’t have to wait long before he was back in the winner’s stall, with stakes performer Golden Harvest (NZ) (Ghibellines) taking out the Skelton Brothers Rating 76 (1200m).
“He is a high-class sprinter and was placed in a stakes race (Listed Hazlett Stakes, 1200m) down in Dunedin,” Pitman said.
“There was a bit of a query there as he had gone so poorly on the synthetic last time out, but he continued to work well on the poly so we thought we would have another crack. It was a totally different performance today and we couldn’t be happier.
“He will probably have a run on that middle day of National week on the poly, and he is the type of horse we would target the Pegasus (Listed, 1000m) or Stewards (Gr.3, 1200m) with.”
The stable soon had a treble on their hands when Da Vinci Girl (NZ) (Zacinto) returned to winning form in the Red Nose Raceday 28 July Rating 73 (1600m).
“She was arguably one of the better horses on the poly last year, she had two wins and a second on it,” Pitman said.
“It has taken a little longer to find that form this time in, but she was always travelling well and hit the line strongly.”
The Pitmans capped the day in style when promising stayer Proserve (NZ) (Proserve) ran out a 3-3/4 length victor in the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge Rating 82 (2200m).
“He is a nice, progressive stayer,” Pitman said. “When Wiremu Pinn won on him a few starts back he told us that he could go close to winning a New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m). He has certainly gone on with it.
“He is a horse that is going places. We will take it one race at a time and let him tell us.
“We will definitely target either a New Zealand or Wellington Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) with him. We have also got a number of other nice staying races over summer that we can target. We will aim big and hopefully he can deliver.”
