Foxton trainer Gail Temperton scored a popular result at Hawera on Tuesday when taking out the quinella in her local cup, the Foxton New World Foxton Cup (2100m).
Group Three performer Royal Flower (NZ) (Proisir) was dropping back from stakes grade after placing in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m) last month and was sent out a $4.40 second favourite at the mid-week meeting.
She duly delivered for punters, scoring a half-length victory over stablemate Never Look Back (NZ) (Shocking), and Temperton was over the moon to get the quinella in the colours she inherited from her father, Norvil Temperton.
“I thought the two horses were fabulously ridden, both jockeys brought them home very nicely,” Temperton said.
“It means a lot to me. My Dad trained on the Foxton track and my colours are handed down from him, so to do that and think of him means a lot to me.”
Temperton said the result was also a tonic for her partner Stanley Alexander, who she bred and races the pair with under their Taikorea Thoroughbreds banner.
“We bred them both and it’s terribly rewarding for Stan and I,” Temperton said. “Stan is currently a little bit disabled, having had an accident and broken a bone, but he will be thrilled about this.”
Both horses were offered through Rich Hill Stud’s 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft, but were unwanted, and Temperton took great satisfaction in getting Tuesday’s result.
“They both went to the Karaka sales and neither of them got a bid,” she said. “Royal Flower was last in Book 2, and everyone has pretty much gone home by then. To get this result when you couldn’t get a bid for two horses you bred is very rewarding.”
Temperton has a soft spot for Royal Flower, but said she does have her quirks.
“She is lovely,” Temperton said. “She is a handful, she always goes down early (to the start). It’s not that she’s naughty, she is just keen to go out and these other fellas just want to go around and round the birdcage, and she wants to get on with it.”
After winning a high weight at Woodville last week, Never Look Back was destined to commence his jumping career at Wanganui on Sunday, but those plans could be shelved off the back of his current run of form.
“He has really gone up a notch this year,” Temperton said. “I don’t know whether he will be going jumping on Sunday or not, we will have to see what he has to say about the matter.”