Promising four-year-old Adam I Am (NZ) (Almanzor) has some lofty goals ahead of him for the rest of the summer but his immediate goal is the feature event at Te Aroha on Wednesday, the Coastwood Homes Lockwood Thames Cup (1600m).
Trainer Glenn Old believes the son of Almanzor and Group Two winner Our Famous Eve (NZ) (Fast ‘N’ Famous) has all the attributes to make it to the elite level and is keen for him to showcase those talents as he builds towards his main summer mission.
“He is a very good horse and the step up to a mile at Te Aroha is just what he has been looking for,” Old said.
“He has only had the four starts and is still learning the game, but I believe he has the ability to be a Group winner when he gets some more experience under his belt.
“He got beaten last time after two nice wins but I think he just got too far off them and didn’t really get the rub of the green at all.
“We plan to have him race a lot handier at Te Aroha and with their new track drainage I think it will be a great surface after they had a fair bit of rain in the last seven days, which will definitely to his liking.”
Old knows a win will help lift his charge into the final field for the $1million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on 27 January, however, he also has his sights set on a second major target at Te Rapa in February.
“He would need to win well to make that field on Karaka Millions night and I’m hoping that is exactly what he does,” he said.
“In saying that, we have another focus on a slightly different race which is the special conditions maiden at Te Rapa in early February (Sir Patrick Hogan Karapiro Classic).
“That is a $350,000 race where he won’t meet the likes of Legarto or Desert Lightning, so it is a very realistic target for him.
“After that I’m not too sure. He is a very clean winded individual who is still growing and I think we will see the best of him when he gets to 2000m.
“If he can make the progress that I think he can then a race like the Livamol Classic (Gr.1, 2040m) wouldn’t be out of the question in the spring, but he needs to put his hand up now if we want to get him to that level.”
