Unwanted yearling records second stakes victory
Boots ‘N’ All capped off a memorable year for trainer Lance Robinson when winning the Listed Timaru Cup (1600m) at Phar Lap Raceway on Friday.
The Perfectly Ready six-year-old bookended 2018 with stakes victories after taking out the Listed Timaru Stakes (1400m) in January, giving his trainer his first black-type scalp.
Ridden by southern hoop Jacob Lowry, Boots ‘N’ All settled towards the rear of the field after jumping from barrier five, where he remained for the majority of the race until Lowry steered his charge wide when turning for home.
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With a strong finish, Boots ‘N’ All was able to gather in his opposition to win by a neck over pacemaker Wild Jack, with last year’s winner Kolonel Kev a further head back in third.
Robinson was delighted with the win and said his charge had been building towards that result after finishing runner-up in the Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) last month and putting in a solid run for sixth in the Group 1 Captain Cook Stakes (1600m).
“That was an unbelievable run. He’s been running in the best of company all season and he just keeps stepping up,” he said.
While Boots ‘N’ All has credited Robinson with both of his stakes victories-to-date as a trainer, he said he didn’t think a lot of his stable star when he first arrived in his barn.
His view was shared by the buying bench at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2014 South Island Yearling Sale where he was passed in for $2,500.
“He was one of the very first horses that we were given to train,” Robinson said.
“We have had him since he was a yearling. When he came into the stable he was just another horse that you thought nothing of.
“He’s a pony, he wouldn’t be 15 hands. He carries big weights and is just an amazing little horse.”
Long Acres Stud will offer a Super Easy half-brother to Boots ‘N’ All in the Book 2 session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s upcoming yearling sales in January.