Stable plotting Derby coup with maiden

23 February 2016

Splendido’s connections have designs on making the three-year-old O’Reilly gelding’s first victory a memorable one.

He has yet to break his duck in seven starts this season, but he is a stakes performer and will be making his second appearance at the elite level when he takes his place in the BMW New Zealand Derby on Saturday week.

“He’s perfect, right on target,” said trainer Bruce Wallace’s foreman Allan Peard.

Runner-up in the Listed BMW Salver, Splendido was then sixth when beaten four lengths by Kawi in the Zabeel Classic and he has finished runner-up at his last two outings.

“He was three wide the whole trip without cover last Saturday and only just got run down and his worst performance was in the Group One,” Peard said.

Currently a $31 hope in the Derby market, Splendido is raced by Wallace with Mark Wyborn, who is also a part-owner of the $8 chance Provocative.

– NZ Racing Desk.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

Getting older used to be recognised as getting wiser. There is really no other plus apart from the fact we mostly are unsure about the alternative. I am not an atheist but not a believer. …

20 October 2021

On target for G1 VRC Derby tilt

Tutukaka put his Group 1 credentials on the line this afternoon and he sailed through with flying colours to triumph in the Listed Geelong Classic. The Tony Pike-trained 3-year-old son of Tavistock, who is part-owned …