By Duane Ranger
Dave and Clare McGowan trained their second Stratford Cup winner in five years when McRoyal won on the Te Kapua Park grass track on Saturday.
In 2011 Logan Hollis drove Another Impact to win the same race for the Franklin training duo. On Saturday Todd Mitchell did the steering to get the McArdle – Wren A lot gelding home in 3:34.4 for the 2600m standing start event.
Another Impact won his Stratford Cup in 3:33.6.
“He’s the type of horse that doesn’t have a great deal of speed and can just bowl a long if he gets cover. That’s exactly what he got on Saturday and he obliged. All credit to Todd for a great drive,” McGowan (Dave) said.
McRoyal raced away to a big lead early from his front-line (2) draw and then was nicely situated in the trail behind Princess Kate at the bell.
In The lane he fought off the second favourite Jet Black Shadow, who made a mistake early, to win by an increasing one-and-a-half lengths.
McRoyal’s winning mile rate was 2:12.6 with a final 800m sprint of 62.3.
“The grass suits his style of running and it’s great for him to get his reward after all the hard work he puts in,” said McGowan who works a team of 16 with his equine physiotherapist wife in Pukekohe.
McGowan described McRoyal as a nice horse who had a tendency to give people a wee nip or push
“I like him. He’s had a few foot issues but has come back well. We had to cut his front feet right back and that took three months to cure. He’s obviously right now,” McGowan said.
The 56-year-old horseman said McRoyal would start at Alexandra Park on March 9 before tackling the 2016 Country Cups Final at New Plymouth late next month.
McRoyal was the sixth favourite and paid $14.20 to win. He is owned by Graeme Bond, Jack Hobbs, Robyn Green, and the Holibars – M.D. and D.M.
He was bred by 56-year-old Robyn McLeish-Bond of Balcairn, who incidentally bred the Craig and Josh Kennett trained Veneto to win the first race at Winton on the same day.
The 6-year-old has now raced 27 times for seven wins, four seconds and nine thirds since making his race-day debut with a 10th at Alexandra Park on November 2, 2012.
His stake earnings went past the $50,000 mark with his Stratford Cup win. His bank balance now sits at $52,542.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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