The best news Mark had this week didn’t happen at the Pukekohe trials on Tuesday. It came from a phone call he made on Wednbesday to check on how Akuta had come through his long awaited return to the track.
Akuta was sidelined over a year ago witha damaged tendon, one that at first caused expert opinion that he would never race again.
Countless hours since have gone into his rehabilitation but even when later x rays were more optimistic Mark had stuck to the original advice of a year’s rest and specialist treatment.
So Tuesday at Pukekohe was a big deal. Bigger even than Chase a Dream’s make or break trial for Queensland since his form and the fact he was still an entire having tipped the scales against the venture even before he set off from Matamata.
Mark was as pleased with Akuta’s trial as he was disappointed that Chase a Dream definitely needed a spell and gelding before taking on the top horses anywhere.
“I felt Akuta had come through it good and he wasn’t asked for a lot but when I got the news next day his tendon was looking even better than expected,that was something” he said
But it hasn’t changed the plan for another spell and a spring training programme hopefully ending up in a big race at Addington in November. Its just brought the dream closer to reality.
Adam Sanderson
Akuta is not the only one going on holiday. Mark and Barbara fly out to Canada on Monday on a visit to Barbara’s family, returning in mid June. From then on Mark is playing it by ear regarding his role in the Queensland Inter Dominion/Derby campaign from a driving point of view.
” Adam Sanderson will cover for me in the lead ups as he did so well last year and we will see what happens from there.I would probably expect to be over there at some stage”
Though Mark consulted with partner Chris Ryder in the US before pulling the plug on Chase a Dream’s Aussie campaign it was a formality as gelding had been high on the list of curing his enigmatic racing attitude for some time.
He is one of those horses that can baffle the best of trainers. His work suggests peak performance, race day not so much. It should be a different ball game in the spring with the removal of some appendages.
The trainer’s holiday also means a break for the gallopers Buster Shaw and Our Beau after impressive improvement from both since heading north.
“I made a mistake running Buster at Ellerslie.That was a hard slog for him first time over ground at Rotorua and I had been warned that it was a specialist and testing track when wet. But Kerry (Shaw) manages him and who hasn’t been the best had bounced back and was booked to come up to Ellerslie so I went ahead. A break will do him good”
Our Beau has also blossomed following his maiden win measuring up well at Rotorua and holding his ground in stronger company at Ellerslie
“He has done well. I think he is going to go best over ground too. He is three quarters owned by Danny Zavitsanos (Cruz Bromac, Enhance Your Calm,plus many winners in Australia) and I like to think he can come up to the level of provincial staying races in Victoria so he can make it over there for Danny to see.That is the long term plan”
Speaking of holidays, Nathan has been taking a break in Queensland following the funeral of Greg Sugars but returns this week.
PIC Joanna and Danny Zavitsanos-first Cruz Bromac now Our Beau ?