Former Hong Kong galloper Rise Companions (Capitalist) will have his second start in New Zealand at Ellerslie on Wednesday, and trainers Simon and Katrina Alexander are hoping to see a more relaxed horse at the Auckland venue.
He was a bit green in his debut outing at Pukekohe last month when runner-up over 1200m, and his handlers will apply ear covers on Wednesday ahead of the Trackside.co.nz 1400.
“He got himself a little bit stirred up last time, a bit full of himself, he gets a bit overwhelmed with it all,” Katrina Alexander said. “It would be nice to give him a second crack and see if his manners can improve a bit from his first start.”
The son of Capitalist won an 1100m trial at Ellerslie in March, and the Alexanders are looking forward to returning to the track this week.
“We are pleased that we are going back to Ellerslie with him,” Alexander said. “I don’t think he will go much deeper into the season, just with the tracks and what we have seen from him galloping at home.
“Hopefully he can put a nice performance together and we can get a line on him and put him aside and bring him back for the new season.”
“He has worked well, he is a natural galloping horse.”
A A$110,000 yearling purchase in Australia, the now four-year-old entered the care of Hong Kong trainer Danny Shum, but didn’t race in the competitive racing jurisdiction, having been withdrawn from his debut race after sustaining a tendon injury, and subsequently headed to New Zealand where he joined the Alexanders barn.
He has been a work in progress, but Alexander believes Rise Companions has plenty of ability and is looking forward to seeing his progression on the track.
“He is pretty raw, but is very much a natural galloper, he is a very powerful horse,” she said. “I think he is going to show a preference for the better ground, but we will get a line on him at Ellerslie. If he can continue racing there that would be great, but we will just see how tomorrow goes.”
Rise Companions has plenty of support ahead of Wednesday, currently sitting a $2.50 favourite with TAB bookmakers.
Looking ahead to the weekend, Alexander will head to Rotorua on Saturday with a trio of runners, and she is welcoming the wet forecast.
“It will be interesting to see what this weather does,” she said. “I hope it rains, but I hope we don’t get huge amounts.
“We have got Major Major (NZ) (Pins), Acapelago (NZ) (Belardo) and Vadanova (NZ) (Vadamos) going around at Rotorua and they will appreciate wet tracks.”
Meanwhile, Alexander said stable star La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos) is enjoying her spell after her Australian autumn campaign was curtailed with a foot issue.
“I was out there with the farrier last week and she looks tremendous,” Alexander said.
“She is doing very well and the farm commented that the more mature she gets mentally, the easier she is to spell. She seems very relaxed and chilled out and is looking good.
“She went out on top because she didn’t get that last race in, so she has immediately done well, which is good to see. We are trying to give her six weeks and at this stage she is halfway through that.”