Peter Didham has a good mix of proven performers and promising younger horses in his in-form Awapuni stable and a pair of well-related three-year-olds will feature among his representatives on his home track this weekend.
He has sent out nine winners this season, headed by House Of Cartier (Alamosa) who has posted two stakes successes, to land him in the top 10 on the National Trainers’ Premiership.
Didham will have three runners at the Rangitikei meeting on Saturday with the exciting Morus (NZ) (Savabeel) to make his second appearance in the age group 1300m contest following an impressive course and distance debut victory last month.
“He’s still a baby and still six months away. He’s a really nice horse and will benefit from another couple of runs, what he did the other day was on just raw ability,” Didham said.
“He weaved his way through the field and was pretty impressive. It’s a big step up this weekend, but we do think a bit of him.”
Morus is raced by Didham and Wellfield Lodge’s Bill Gleeson after he failed to meet his $150,000 reserve at last year’s New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale.
He is a son of the multiple black-type winner Include (NZ) (Gallant Guru) and holds an entry for the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m).
“He’s the only one I nominated for the Derby and you’ve got to have those dreams. He’ll tell us if he’s up to that grade and we’ll get through this weekend first and then see,” Didham said.
“He needs more than 1300m, but it’s on his home track and he’ll get back and run on and if he can run in the first three then we know we’re going places.”
His richly bred stablemate Manifique (NZ), a daughter of Savabeel and the multiple Group One winner Shez Sinsational (NZ) (Ekraar), is nominated for the maiden 1600m event. She had little luck when unplaced on debut at Otaki earlier this month.
“She’s a little bit green and she’ll go to a mile on Saturday with the hood on and should travel a bit better,” Didham said. “She’s another who will get back and run on and then we’ll look toward a decent three-year-old staying race later on.”
Bobby Dee (NZ) (Zed), a winner in New Zealand and Australia, will make his first appearance for the stable in Rating 74 company over 1600m and Didham expects him to improve with the outing.
“He’s a pretty cool horse and everybody’s favourite. I’ve only had him a couple of months and he’s had two 1000m trials and it’s hard to get a line on him,” Didham said. “Looking at his form, he’s the only Zed who doesn’t like a wet track and we’ll learn a bit more on Saturday.”
Didham’s flagship representative House Of Cartier has won the Gr.3 Boehringer Ingelheim Mile (1600m) and the Listed Feilding Gold Cup (2100m) already this preparation.
She will bid to significantly add to her record with the Gr.1 Rydges Wellington Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on December 4 and the Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day on her program.
“She’s really well and had a week off at Wellfield after Awapuni and put on 20kg. She’ll run in the Captain Cook with the idea of going to the Zabeel Classic, that’s her main target,” Didham said.
