Proven combination back in business
A widely-travelled combination will be reunited at Wairoa with the champion southern jockey Chris Johnson to partner Locally Sauced.
They have been successful on three previous occasions and again look well-placed in Thursday’s Wairoa Business Supporters Cup Trial (1900m) to add to their record.
Locally Sauced stepped out for the first time in a month when he finished sixth in the Poverty Bay Cup (1600m) last Sunday and a step up in distance with three and a-half kilos less to carry boosts his prospects.
“We’re very happy with him and it was a good run, given that he’s only ever placed at a mile once,” said Grant Shaw, who trains the son of Iffraaj with his wife Tana. “He pulled up extra well and a couple of showers will help him.”
The Waiuku-trained Locally Sauced has won five races – three at Ashburton and one apiece at Riccarton and Poverty Bay.
“He’s not an Ellerslie type of horse and in the South Island the money on the West Coast and the East Coast is all the same – he’s won his share,” Shaw said.
Locally Sauced has proven in the past that he can cope with quick-fire racing and he will back up in this weekend’s AFFCO New Zealand Limited Wairoa Cup (2100m).
“He’ll definitely be there on Sunday,” Shaw said.