Bring To The Block can win at Otaki despite distance query
PROMISING mare Bring To The Block is in good touch, and while the horse may not be at its ideal trip at Otaki on Thursday, it’s an opportunity too good to pass up.
The Guillotine four-year-old will run in the New Zealand Bloodstock Pearl Series Race with regular rider Leah Hemi to take the reins.
“She should go well again, although I would be more confident if it was 1400m,” trainer Shane Brown said.
“I still think she’s good enough to get away with it though, she’s a pretty handy mare. It’s a Pearl Series race and she’s qualified so it’s $19,500 to the winner, it’s like a Saturday race.”
Bring To The Block broke its maiden two starts back at Waipukurau and the horse then finished third behind the group performer Storytime at Rotorua where she began awkwardly and was late into the clear.
“She was unlucky at her last start and should have finished closer,” Brown said.
“She’s still quite immature mentally and even physically and in her first few starts she was erratic, but she’s improving.
“The form book doesn’t show it, but she ran in the Desert Gold Stakes last season and the barrier attendant still had hold of her and Leah didn’t have her feet in the irons and she missed the start by seven lengths.
“She still ran eighth and was later declared a non-starter.”
Brown also has the promising Handfull set to resume over 1400m at Hawke’s Bay on Sunday. The horse hasn’t raced since it finished a respectable seventh in the Group Three Manawatu Classic.
“He’ll probably need a run and then he’ll get up to a mile,” Brown said.
“I think he’s got the makings of a handy stayer.”