Gavin Sharrock had a day out with three of his promising young gallopers at Hawera a fortnight ago, and he hopes to replicate that effort at Otaki on Saturday, particularly with Spandeedo, who will contest the Listed Phils Electrical and Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m).
The Stratford horseman took Spandeedo, Stewart, and Vibration to the Egmont meeting, and all three returned winners, with the former comfortably taking out the two-year-old race. It was the second victory in four starts for the son of Ferrando, who has improved with each run.
“He’s a really speedy little horse, he has been a little bit wayward at times, but I think we’ve got him under control now,” Sharrock said. “His work has been good and I’m really happy with him.
“I haven’t done a hell of a lot with him since Hawera, he had a quiet gallop on Thursday morning and going into the race, I’m not too worried about the draw (8), because he’ll go forward anyway.”
Sharrock has enjoyed a successful season in the juvenile ranks, also preparing Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) runner Daylight Robbery and stakes performer Country Salon to victories, but had the Otaki feature on his radar solely for Spandeedo.
“He was the one I focussed on with this race, you can’t go everywhere, so the other two had a freshen up and they’ll go towards the Wanganui Guineas (Listed, 1340m) on the 30th of August,” he said.
“He’ll have a three-week break after this race, and I’ll decide what to do with him after that.”
Much like his younger stablemate, Vibration has been a work in progress for Sharrock and probably could have put more than three wins on the board had he put his best foot forward at each start.
“He’s been a very hard horse to work, he seems to behave not too badly at the races, but at home, he’s a proper handful,” Sharrock said. “We are getting there though, he seems to be maturing a bit with age.
“I think he’s an exceptional horse, he would’ve been much further forward than he is if we’d been able to handle him early, but he would run off the track at home and run off in his gallops and do silly things.”
The son of Proisir was on best behaviour in his last couple of starts, going back-to-back at Otaki and Hawera, and he will start the likely favourite again in Saturday’s Levin Jumpouts Supporters Handicap (1400m).
“We seem to have him under control now, he’s going well, so hopefully it’s onwards and upwards from here,” Sharrock said.
Completing the trio will be Stewart, a deserved maiden winner when he put six and half lengths on his rivals last time out. Northern-based apprentice Maria Sanson will continue her association with the three-year-old when he takes on the DG Farriers Handicap (1200m).
“He’s come through that run really well, he was very unlucky when second at Te Rapa where he was carted out about six or eight horse widths, and only went down by half a head,” Sharrock said.
“He put it all together at Hawera and won very convincingly, so hopefully he can carry on with it. He’s well, he’s eating and doing everything right.”
The latter pair are raced by their breeder, Cliff Erb, who continues to support Sharrock with quality gallopers.
“Cliff is an ex-dairy farmer and had always been infatuated with horses, and after he sold his farm, he built up a band of broodmares and is breeding a lot of horses,” Sharrock said. “I’m just lucky enough to be training them for him.
“I’ve got six at the moment, mostly two-year-olds, rising three, and there are some lovely horses amongst them.”