Cambridge trainer Ben Foote will be looking to end the season on a high note at local meetings this week.
The Cambridge horseman will line-up three runners at Cambridge on Wednesday, with last-start debut winner Kakadu joined by Ka Ying Lucky and Jimmy Dean.
A three-year-old son of El Roca, Kakadu was a dominant winner in his first race day start over 970m under Kozzi Asano last month at Cambridge, leading from the 600m and pulling away by three-and-three-quarter lengths over Medina.
Kakadu will step up to 1300m in the Martin Collins New Zealand MAAT 1300 on Wednesday.
“His work has been really good, he’s quite a progressive horse so I expect a big run,” Foote said.
Zoustar gelding Ka Ying Lucky was successful in his first New Zealand start at Cambridge after being imported from Hong Kong and was desperately unlucky in his last start being held up until the 100m before flying home for third.
The promising four-year-old will drop back to MAAT grade from the Rating 65 company he contested last start, and will again have the services of Michael McNab in the Martin Collins New Zealand MAAT (970m).
“He was obviously very unlucky last start so looking at the field I’d be disappointed if he couldn’t win that one easy,” Foote said.
McNab, who will be crowned New Zealand’s 2022/2023 Jockey’s Premiership winner next week with an unassailable lead of 155 winners, will pair with each of Foote’s three representatives on Wednesday.
The last of Foote’s runners will be course and distance specialist Jimmy Dean in the Waikato Thoroughbred Racing Merger 1 August (2000m), who has been unbeaten over the 2000m at Cambridge in his two starts and recorded a close third last start over 1550m, a distance short of his best.
“Jimmy Dean won both of his starts there over that distance very easily so I’ll obviously be looking for the same again,” Foote said.
The Tivaci four-year-old was set to be joined by stablemate The Bambino in the race, however, Foote has elected to send the stablemate to Te Rapa on Saturday alongside consistent three-year-old filly Girls Light Up, who will start in the 3YO SW+P 1400m event.
