REJUVENATED four-year-old Port Macquarie gelding Prince Nevaux is favoured to make it two wins in a row for in-form trainer John Sprague at Taree Wingham Race Club’s TAB meeting on Monday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Treatment for stomach ulcers has turned the galloper’s form around with the gelding posting a 5.5 lengths win over 1500m at Port on November 10.
Prince Nevaux is stepping up to 1609m in the Taree Race Club Sponsors Class 1 & Maiden Plate but its latest form,especially behind Coffs Harbour galloper Behest which beat it two starts back at Grafton,and has posted three wins in a row, is very sound.
It could be a Port finish as one of the dangers could be four-year-old gelding Aarhus, trained by Tas Morton.
Prince Nevaux was bought by a syndicate of “family girls”, headed by 83-year-old great grandmother Jan Tate, of Laurieton, for $9000 from Melbourne.
“Racing is part of our life and keeps our girls together…it is an enjoyable outing,” Mrs Tate said.
When Prince Nevaux first arrived, it was a finicky eater and was listless on occasions, although showing some promise with placings.
Sprague diagnosed that the gelding was suffering from stomach ulcers and began treatment.
“Fixing up the ulcers has certainly helped.
“The horse is feeling good,is eating up and is keeping weight on,” the trainer said.
He described its maiden win at its 13th start as “big” and under a light preparation he is “taking one step at a time”.
Sprague had a win with Pradnya and a close second with Faith And Fury at Port on Tuesday and hopes to keep his luck going.
However,Morton is confident that a step back in distance from 1800m at its two previous starts will aid Aarhus.
“Its last couple of races were too long,he is fit,and ready to go with the switch back in distance.”
The query horse in the race is six-year-old gelding Aldous, well-bred in being by Redoute’s Choice out of Empress Pegasus (USA), owned by a syndicate headed by Donna Dennis, daughter of Les Tinkler, formerly a leading owner on the Mid North Coast and father of Nathan Tinkler.
It was formerly trained in Queensland by John Thompson but is now with Port trainer Neil Godbolt.
Aldous had two years in the paddock before being transferred to Godbolt for one start, a seventh to Fast Arli over 1500m at Port on November 10.
“It knocked up at its first start for a long time for me and is working along okay,” Godbolt said.
He also has a strong hand with five-year-old geldings Dixie Lad, although it has drawn a bad barrier and Laredo Hussler in the Santa Comes Early Raceday—December 18 Benchmark 65 Handicap over 1255m.
Dixie Lad resumed from a spell for a solid third to Neptune Palace over 1100m at Port on October 7 and should be on the improve having won twice and been placed twice in five campaigns, two of its wins being at the track and at the distance.
“I don’t do a lot with him as he races best fresh,” Godbolt said.
As for Laredo Hussler,its 5.1 lengths last behind Pomme Petite over 1000m at Kempsey on November 4 proved to be “too short”.
He said the extra distance was more suitable and although the gelding had raced up to 1900m, a different training regime of light work was resulting in wins over shorter distances.
Newcastle trainer Paul Perry has a good strike rate at the track and Nick On The Run with two wins from two starts there and three at the distance it looks well suited in this race.
Morton is also expecting a good showing from Drop The Eaves in the Conferences At The Winning Post Function Centre Maiden Handicap over 1005m.
Doug Ryan’s selections:
Race 1: Prince Nevaux 1, Aarhus 2, Aldous 3.
Race 2: Charlie Royale 1, Serious Hoffa 2, Backhouse Billy 3.
Race 3: Unsinkable Sam 1, Oz Picasso 2, Natural Predator 3.
Race 4: Drop The Eaves 1, On My Terms 2, Shrapelli 3.
Race 5: Earstheking 1, Italian Son 2, Epic Dan 3.
Race 6: Shovano 1, Fox Creek 2, Arjen 3.
Race 7: Nick On The Run 1, Kareem’s Edge 2, Dixie Lad 3.