Photo: Race Images South
Lochmara Bay has been knocking on the door of a maiden win and trainer David Walsh is hoping she can secure it at Phar Lap Raceway on Sunday when she contests the Ecoglo International NZ 1200.
The four-year-old daughter of Sweynesse has finished runner-up in three of her four starts this preparation, all over 1400m, and Walsh is hoping a drop back in distance will benefit his mare.
Lochmara Bay is paying around the $2.90 quote with horse racing betting sites, with Let Me Loose ($5.50) and Morrie ($7) also seeing some respect from punters.
“She has been racing really well and has led at the 200m several times and has got run down, so I thought I might as well drop her back to 1200m to see how she goes,” he said.
Her wide alley of 10 in the 13-horse field and forecast rain are Walsh’s two biggest concerns heading into the weekend, but he is hoping jockey Tina Comignaghi can be the difference.
“I don’t really know about a wet track, because the forecast isn’t very good,” he said.
“She is going to need a bit of luck from there (10). Notoriously, wide draws at Timaru over 1200m aren’t very good, but Tina is on and she might be able to work some magic hopefully.”
Later on the card, Graeme John will be out to score back-to-back victories in the Snapback @ Clearview Park 1200, but Walsh is unsure how he will handle the step up to rating 75 grade.
“You never quite know if they are going to do it (step up to rating 75 grade),” he said. “There were plenty of pluses from last start but that was five weeks ago. If the track really deteriorated, I might consider withdrawing him, but at this stage he is starting.
“He races on pace, pretty handy most of the time. He has done very well, but whatever he does he will improve on because it has been a wee while in-between runs.
“I am very happy with him, he looks amazing.”
He will be met in the race by stablemate Toa Haka, who heads into Sunday in good form, having placed over 1400m at Riccarton last month.
He will have another wide draw to overcome but will get the assistance of apprentice jockey Floor Moerman’s three-kilogram claim.
“It’s just typical for him. It’s staggering how many bad draws that horse gets,” Walsh said.
“He has got a claim on and he likes to go pretty handy. We are thinking a bit of a loose track might suit him and I am really pleased with him.
“He has had two runs under his belt, the last one over 1400m, so he should be competitive. It is a handy field and he is still going to need a bit of luck.”
Walsh’s other runner at the Timaru meeting will be Loose ‘N’ Vegas in the Pink Ribbon & Heartland Chips 1200.
The daughter of Turn Me Loose will be having her first start as a three-year-old and Walsh expects her to take plenty of improvement out of the run.
“She has come up with a strong draw (13) with a horse that wants a bit of cover,” he said.
“She didn’t have any luck at all as a two-year-old. Whatever she does she will improve on.
“She had a trial at Riccarton last Monday and I am picking she will go a good race.”