Foxton trainer Chrissy Bambry continued her red-hot run of form since racing recommenced following the COVID-19 hiatus, as she registered a winning treble at Awapuni on Saturday.
Bambry had struck a winning double last week when racing returned at Wanganui with Speed Call (NZ) (Any Suggestion) and Spring Tide (NZ) (Darci Brahma) scoring for her emerging team and she went one better on Saturday in similar fashion.
Speed Call made it two wins in a row as he looped the field in the second race of the day to win handsomely over 1550m before speedy winter galloper Deerfield (NZ) (Falkirk) led all the way over 1000m in race four.
Empire of Patch (Exceed and Excel) finished runner-up in race six but Bambry completed her treble when maiden galloper Dubai’s Moko (NZ) (Keeper) strode clear to win a rating 61 1400m Pearl Series event in race eight.
Bambry was thrilled to claim her first training treble and paid tribute to the quality of her staff and the horses they are currently working with.
“I think we have got some really good systems in place,” she said.
“We have got good staff and that always helps and obviously having some nice stock to work with is crucial.
“The team is going well at the moment and while that is the case, we will keep lining them up.”
Sent out a warm favourite to back up an effortless Wanganui victory, five-year-old Any Suggestion gelding Speed Call relished the heavy underfoot conditions to register his fourth career victory in the hands of apprentice Sam O’Malley.
“He didn’t settle as well as I had hoped, but Sam did a good job and didn’t fight him too much,” Bambry said.
“He just let him cruise up and when he set him alight, he let loose again.
“There is a mile race at Wanganui (July 10), but I will see how he pulls up.
“He goes well on the back-up but it was pretty testing conditions today, so there is a 2100m race back here in two weeks which I will probably set him for.”
Bambry admitted she had lost some confidence in lightly raced six-year-old Deerfield after some indifferent track work in the last week.
“He put in a terrible gallop for me last Saturday, so I was a bit worried coming into today,” she said.
“I got the physio out to him and he is a horse that has a lot of issues that we have to manage, so to see him come back like that today was very satisfying.
“I don’t necessarily think he likes the sticky tracks, but if he gets the lead and is in front on the turn, he can be quite hard to get past.
“I hope he comes through it well and I’d like to be targeting the Hawke’s Bay Carnival with him.”
With family ownership in all three of Bambry’s winners it was a bumper day for the popular horsewoman who is also leading the Gavelhouse.com Newcomer to Training Award.
“I hope they give their trainer a sling,” Bambry quipped.
Dubai Moko was the most lucrative winner on the day for Bambry, who also shares in the $10,000 owner bonus from the Pearl Series win, in addition to the $1,000 trainers bonus, while for good measure she was the co-breeder of the Tony Pike-trained third placegetter Rapid Falls.
Bambry’s success since starting out on her own last year has been well noted in racing circles and she is now starting to receive offers to take on more horses.
“I am syndicating a filly that I bred and it looks like there is a bit of interest in her with about fifty percent of her done and they will be new owners for the stable,” she said.
“I also have a lovely Ocean Park that will run next week and hopefully he can do the job for us.
“I thought I had him sold but the buyers pulled out. He is named Aragon and he will go to Wanganui on Friday and should be hard to beat.
“I just hope the roll can continue.”
