Black-type targets are in the offing for Cambridge mare Doddle after she took out the Harcourts Taupo Cup (2000m) on Monday.
The five-year-old daughter of Dundeel settled off the pace for jockey Tegan Newman, who bided her time before pushing the go button at the 600m mark and sent Doodle alight around the field. They entered the straight a length in arrears of leaders Opawa Jack and Rua Rocks but were able to wrestle the lead and hold off Midnight Blue to win by 1-1/4 lengths.
Trainer Stephen Marsh enjoyed getting the win in front of a bustling holidaymaker crowd and was full of praise for Newman’s ride.
“Tegan has given the horse a 10 out of 10 ride, the horse settled for her, she got into the right spot and I couldn’t have ridden her better myself,” Marsh quipped.
“She got out at the right time and you could see at the top of the straight that she was building momentum, and she was too good in the end.
“Taupo has put on a marvellous day again, there’s a massive crowd. They put the stake money up to $85,000 and got a really good field. It was very nice to win.”
Newman was confident of a bold showing in the meeting’s feature race and was delighted to get the result.
“She actually had her first raceday start here (Taupo) where she ran a nice third,” Newman said. “I was quietly confident coming into this race and she has done everything perfectly. She relaxed beautifully and hit the line really well.
“You don’t really hear the crowd when you are trying to win, but she has gone super today, it was good to get that win.”
It was Doddle’s fourth career win and Marsh said she may have earned herself a crack at another stakes target.
“She is nicely bred by Dundeel. We will just try and get some black-type to improve her value,” he said. “Probably in the autumn more so, but she has always shown us plenty, we have run her in some nice races. She is starting to put it all together.”
