Million-dollar plan for Maritimo

25 October 2014

Precocious youngster Maritimo has earned herself a break after keeping her unbeaten record intact with an effortless victory at Trentham.

The Pins filly impressed on debut at Ruakaka and she went to another level on Saturday with a crushing defeat of her two-year-old rivals in the Listed Sweet Orange @ Highview Wellesley Stakes.

“She’ll go out for a spell now and then she’ll be aimed at the Karaka Million,” co-trainer Debbie Rogerson said.

She prepares the daughter of Pins with her husband Graeme and the Tuhikaramea trainers have enjoyed a stellar run of success with their juveniles this season.

They have won all but two of the two-year-old events so far and celebrated an inter-Island double on Saturday with Jacquetta also a runaway winner at Riccarton where stablemate Magic Dancer finished third.

Maritimo proved a handful before her race, but once the gates opened she was all business.

“She’s normally a really quiet filly, but she did get stirred up,” Debbie Rogerson said.

“She is very professional out of the barriers and she’s a very good filly.”

Maritimo hit the ground running from the outside gate to dispute the pace and she took control of the race at the top of the straight.

“She shows a bit of cheek and you don’t mind that when they’ve got her sort of ability,” rider Johnathon Parkes said.

“At the junction she was going well and from there it was all over, she’s very promising.”

Maritimo was clear of the pack 250 metres from home and she coasted clear to beat Platinum Express by four and a-half lengths with the debutants Battle Plan and O’Dianne next to finish. – NZ Racing Desk.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

It is not the easiest role, that of Chairman of our Thoroughbred Racing Board. Like all chairmanships, one’s mind is rarely not occupied with the responsibility. To our Chairman, I say thanks. A lifetime in the industry, Chairman of our largest club, it is difficult to identify someone more suited to the role.

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