It was a rewarding day for Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray at Cambridge on Wednesday, with the local training partnership heading home with a winning double.
They kicked the day off in style when Nereus (NZ) (Savabeel) carried breeder-owner Waikato Stud’s silks to his maiden victory in the Saddlery Warehouse 1550, while a few races later, stablemate Timing (NZ) (Darci Brahma) hoisted Windsor Park Stud’s colours aloft when winning the ITM/GIB Winter Championship 1300.
“It is always nice when you are training well-bred horses for the bigger studs,” Shaune Ritchie said.
“It is good branding for us when we have got horses by Savabeel for Waikato Stud and Windsor Park are supporting us with Ben Kwok.
“It is nice to have that quality of horse coming through the door, especially with the fillies that they will no doubt breed from in time.”
Ritchie has plenty of time for Nereus, a full-brother to Group One winner Savvy Coup (NZ), and he believes he will be competitive in some staying assignments later in the year.
“The Savabeel is showing a lot of promise, he might be a nice summer stayer,” he said.
Ritchie was also pleased to get the win with Timing after a frustrating run with draws.
“She had been drawing the outside gate in her last four starts. Out of sheer frustration we decided to run her today,” he said.
“What a superb ride from Michael McNab. He summed the race up very quickly and he is certainly the superior jockey this time of year. We are lucky to still have him in New Zealand.
“His ride was excellent on Timing and she is an improving filly as well.”
Looking ahead to the weekend, Ritchie will head north to Ruakaka on Saturday where Roc Dancer (NZ) (El Roca) will line-up in the Tanalised Mile (1600m).
“I reckon she is a big chance,” he said.
“She has drawn out a bit (in her last few starts) and we have had to ride her cold a couple of times. She has given them some pretty big head starts.
“She doesn’t have to get quite as back as she has done in the past (from barrier 2) and she has won on the track. A little bit of rain about wouldn’t hurt her either.
“There are plenty of positives with her and it is a pretty even line-up. I would be disappointed if she wasn’t a nice eachway chance.”
