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Doni Prastiyou has impressed a number of good judges on his northern loan spell and Allan Peard joined the apprentice’s fan club at Ruakaka.
The 24-year-old didn’t miss a beat when he guided the dual stakes winner Shezhardtocatch to an upset victory in Saturday’s Ford Ranger Handicap.
“That was a great ride. He was very patient and he’s a top apprentice coming through the ranks,” said Peard, stable foreman to trainer Bruce Wallace.The dual Group Three winner of the Concorde Handicap and the Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes, Shezhardtocatch sat well off a hot speed and came with a well-timed run to beat To Be Sure and First Class.
“She’s always been a quality mare,” Peard said. “We were confident today - she had been working very well and two runs back she was just beaten by Fully Funded and she should have won.”A daughter of Elusive City, Shezhardtocatch is making the most of her limited opportunities as she will be served later in the year.
“She will be going to Showcasing in the spring,” Peard said.It was a timely booking made to the Haunui Farm stallion, who was represented by his first Group One winner in England overnight when the three-year-old filly Quiet Reflection won the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
“I don’t think there could be a better place to have opened Showcasing’s Group One account,” Haunui Farm’s Mark Chitty said.“Royal Ascot is one of the world’s greatest racing carnivals and brings together the best that racing has to offer around the world so it’s pretty exciting that Showcasing has landed his first Group One-winner on such a big stage.”