Lady Guinness wins Poverty Bay Cup at Gisborne
Prepared at Hastings by Patrick Campbell, Lady Guinness had proved hard to handle at her last start when she laid out entering the home straight at Tauherenikau and threw away an advantage she had made for herself at that point.
Campbell opted for a one-cup blinker for Sunday’s contest and the change worked to the Falkirk mare’s advantage as she ran gun-barrel straight in the run to the post to hold out a game Tavigarde who was trying to give Team Rogerson their fourth win on the day.
“She had been going well but she pretty much threw it away last time when she went a bit rank on the home bend,” said Campbell.
“I had a bit of a tinker with her gear and worked her in a one-cup blinker during the week which seemed to suit her.”
Campbell couldn’t make it to the track to be with his charge but managed to catch all the action on television as he cheered Lady Guinness home.
“It was a good ride by Sam Weatherley who judged the speed nicely in front on her,” he said.
“When she got around the bend okay I thought she was a big chance as she is a tough mare who fights hard when they come at her.
“She was on the minimum as well so that was a big help too.”
Campbell, who is part of the large syndicate who races the mare on lease from her breeder Windsor Park Stud, is keen to find a black-type assignment for her in the future.
“She is a handy galloper who can handle a bit of cut in the ground, so she should be suited by the autumn tracks,” he said.
“She is at that stage where she could step up to one of those fillies and mare’s races and she deserves her shot at some black-type.
“We’ll get her home and see how she comes through the race and then have a look around for something suitable.”