Matamata trainer Glenn Old believes he has a Gr.3 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup (3200m) prospect on his hands in lightly-tried five-year-old Super Hoof.
The handsome chestnut handled the step-up in grade with aplomb when successful at Te Rapa in the Rating 82 Benchmark Melbourne Cup @ Te Rapa 5 November 2100 on Wednesday.
“We think he is potentially a real staying horse of the future,” Old said.
“Being a son of Cape Blanco, some of them stick well, being by Galileo.
“He is a five-year-old and we have had issues with him so while he is up and going we will aim high.
“We will work back from the New Zealand Cup now and see if we can plot a path to get him there.”
Old, who won the 2018 New Zealand Cup with Bizzwinkle, said Super Hoof would need more racing to build his fitness as he heads towards the $250,000 two-mile feature.
“He is such a gross doing bugger, I may back him up at Te Teko on Sunday week just in an Open 2100m then into a 2400m race at Trentham at the end of the month,” he said.
“We will see if he is good enough to go down south then.”
“Believe it or not I think he has more brilliance than Bizzwinkle. But you don’t know till you try them past 2400m and that’s why the Trentham race will be a good gauge for him.”
Old purposely ran Super Hoof, a rating 69, out of his grade as he looked to bolster the rating of the gelding to give him a better chance of qualifying for the Christchurch feature, which holds fond memories for the Matamata horseman.
“You can’t ask for a better week than New Zealand Cup week. It is amazing, with great people and good weather.”
Meanwhile, Old is looking forward to watching Bizzwinkle contest Friday’s Benalla Gold Cup (2046m) at what will be his second start for Victorian trainer Patrick Payne.
Old, who remains in the ownership in Bizzwinkle, said he was delighted with his first-up performance for Payne over 1700m at Flemington a fortnight ago.
“We thought it was a huge effort. He is just a big one-pacer and he has never won under 2000m in New Zealand. He led them up and held his ground in the straight and finished four-and-a-half lengths from the winner,” he said.
“The feedback is good. He galloped at Moonee Valley on Monday and Patrick was happy with his work.
“2000m around Benalla we would be hopeful he could run a place at least.”
Like Super Hoof, Bizzwinkle holds a nomination for the New Zealand Cup, but there are plenty of staying options across the Tasman for the six-year-old.
“Australia is amazing, there are at least two races every week for him,” Old said. “I mentioned to Paddy something like the 2800m race on Melbourne Cup Day or the Sandown Cup (Listed, 3200m) but we will just leave it up to Patrick.”
