Cambridge horseman Clinton Isdale has had plenty of success in the South Island as an owner, and he is hoping that continues on Wednesday when Funfetti (NZ) (Embellish) will shoot for her third successive win on Riccarton’s polytrack.
Isdale tasted success in the south just last week when Storms Ahead (NZ) (Astern) was victorious at Ashburton, keeping his 100 percent South Island strike rate intact after winning first-up for Timaru trainer Stephanie Faulkner at his new home track last month.
Isdale purchased the son of Astern off Gavelhouse.com for $1,000 and said he opted to send him south in the hope of finding some form.
“I bought Storms Ahead off Gavelhouse, he had a couple of placings up here and I leased him out and then took him back,” he said. “I race him in conjunction with Eddie Brooks, Tina’s (Comignaghi, jockey) manager, and we are having a lot of fun.”
Isdale is also having plenty of fun with the John and Karen Parsons-trained Funfetti, who will head to Riccarton on Wednesday to contest the Cup Week Hospitality On Sale Now Rating 75 (2200m).
“She is another horse I purchased off Gavelhouse (for $2,000), so it has been quite good to me,” Isdale said.
“She is going well and loves the poly, so hopefully she can give a good account of herself.”
While he currently has two horses in the South Island, Isdale said that number could increase following next month’s Grand National Festival of Racing at Riccarton.
“I will be taking a few down for the Carnival and if they go alright I will probably leave them down there,” he said. “You can’t send average horses down there because it is competitive down there as well.”
Meanwhile, Isdale is looking forward to lining up a handful of his own team members this week, headlined by Gallant Hero (Fast Company) who will target the Rating 75 2100m contest at Hawera on Saturday.
The seven-year-old son of Fast Company was the subject of plenty attention last start when his saddle slipped and jockey Bruno Queiroz lost his irons near the 1900m but showed great horsemanship in regathering his irons and riding out his charge to a runner-up performance.
Isdale said his charge took no ill effects from the race and he is hoping for another bold showing this weekend before he heads for a well-deserved break.
“Everyone saw what happened with him last start when Bruno lost his irons,” Isdale said. “He has come through the race well. I didn’t race him last week because 2400m would have been a bit testing on him, so he will race on Saturday and Jonathan Riddell will be back on him and then he will go for a break.”
Stablemate Lady Moana (NZ) (Ocean Park) may have her last raceday start in the rating 65 1400m contest at Hawera, while two days prior, Isdale will head to Cambridge’s synthetic meeting with a trio of runners – Mirabella (NZ) (Sweynesse) in the Saddlery Warehouse 970 and Mahoe (NZ) (Alamosa) and Novak (NZ) (El Roca) in the TCL Earthworks 2000.
“Lady Moana was very disappointing last start, she has to measure up otherwise she will be in the broodmare paddock,” Isdale said.
“Mirabella was disappointing last start, but she copped a check out of the gates. In all of her runs prior to that she was quite competitive. She has got four kilos off her back, so she will be competitive, and I reckon Novak will be hard to beat as well.”