Gingernuts impresses as Close Up causes Tarzino Trophy boilover

NZ galloper Gingernuts
Despite finishing fifth, all Australian eyes were on Gingernuts in Saturday’s Tarzino Trophy.

A LATE call up for trainer Shelley Hale’s runner Close Up paid dividends after the eight-year-old stunned the Tarzino Trophy field at Hastings on Saturday.

The +2010 outsider at Crownbet.com.au was patiently ridden in the ruck heading into the closing stages of the race, with jockey Grant Cooksley waiting for the gap to open before pushing the horse hard to the line to score narrowly ahead of Aide Memoire (+290 at WilliamHill.com.au).

One of the chief elects in the market Underthemoonlight put together a strong performance to round out the placings to return +170 at Sportsbet.com.au.

Bet with Sportsbet

While the result was important for New Zealand racing, all eyes from across the Tasman were on one runner.

The horse to follow from an Australian spring perspective was New Zealand Derby winner Gingernuts.

The four-year-old, which was returning for the first time since a fifth-placed finish in the ATC Derby, found itself in the back of the field, but once pulled to the outside the gelding rocketed home to claim fifth in a race that was well short of its ideal distance.

A dual-nominated horse for both the Caulfield and the Melbourne Cups, Gingers is paying +1400 at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Caulfield Cup, while a win in the race that stops a nation will return +2500 in the all-in markets.


Topics: Close Up, featured, Gingernuts, Tarzino Trophy

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