Longchamp poised for Opunake Cup defence & Group 1 tilt
LONGCHAMP will return from a lengthy spell this weekend in preparation for a title defence at next month’s Opunake Cup.
The Tavistock sprinter has not raced since January, when he finished towards the tail of an 18-strong field in the Group 1 JR&N Berkett Telegraph at Trentham.
According to trainer Andrew Campbell, the five-year-old gelding is tracking well even though poor weather has hampered preparations for Saturday’s run in the Jennian Holmes Handicap.
“He’s come up pretty well and he always goes well fresh, but I would have preferred to have had a trial or jump-out under his belt,” Campbell said.
“Trouble is that it’s been pretty wet and they’ve canned them, which hasn’t been ideal.
“But I still think he’s forward enough to run a good race.”
Longchamp races seven times in 2016 and notched four win, the most recent of which was the listed Opunake Cup.
He also competed well in the Group 2 Foxbridge Plate and in the Group 1 Mafki Challenge Stakes, where he ran a strong fourth behind Kawi.
That race is now the Tarzino Trophy, which is shaping as a top priority.
“That’s his main aim,” Campbell said.
“He nearly pulled it off last year so we’ll head back to that providing he gets the cut out of the track.”
The trainer is also hoping to get at least one run into Longchamp before heading to Pukekura on July 22.
“He’s had knee issues his whole life, but I’d say he’s the soundest he’s ever been at the moment,” he continued.
“He’s still day-to-day so we never get too far ahead of ourselves, but that’s the plan.
“I’d say he’d have one more after Saturday before the Opunake Cup and we’ll consider the Winter Cup as well.”
Campbell also has a pair of talented two-year-olds lining up this weekend.
One of them is Waldorf, which heads into the Virkon 1200 at Te Rapa as the only winner in the field.
“Waldorf won his first race last year and ran second at his second start [in the Listed Wellesley Stakes], had no luck at his next start [in the Gr.3 Eclipse Stakes] and then got galloped on at the start of the Karaka Million,” Campbell said.
“We’re sending him up north trying to get a better track.
“He should go well. He’s a pretty smart horse.”
The other prospect is Getty, which will debut in the 1000m 2yo Maiden at Trentham.
“We think a lot of Getty too. He had a trial and then we turned him out for 10 days,” Campbell said.
“I like the horse and think he’s forward enough to go a bold race.
“We like to think they could both head toward races like the Ryder Stakes and Wanganui Guineas and then follow the three-year-old races through.
“Both handle the wet tracks so we thought we’d get them up and going early.”