3 minute read

Kenny and Lisa Rae have two good chances at Gore on Thursday to add to their away record.

They have regularly sent runners far and wide from their Whangarei base in recent seasons and both Absolut Excelencia and Fintorro are seasoned and successful travellers.

Indeed, Absolut Excelencia broke his maiden at Gore as a three-year-old, won a Rating 65 at Reefton at his next appearance and then completed a hat-trick with victory in the Listed Gore Guineas.

Later placed in the Listed Southland Guineas, he has also been successful at Riccarton and comes into Thursday’s Rating Aon Insurance Brokers Handicap in good touch with placings at his last four appearances.

He finished in the money behind the Lisa Latta-trained North And South in two starts at the Grand National carnival and from an inside gate with Jamie Bates in the saddle he looks a sound chance to add to his Gore tally.

The expected heavy going will suit the veteran Fiddlers Green, who struck similar conditions when a last-start third at Riccarton, while the lighter-weighted duo of Recording and Irish Excuse are out of their class, but don’t meet a strong line-up.

Bates will also be aboard Absolut Excelencia’s stablemate Fintorro in the Rating 65 Davis Shearing Handicap.

The Oratorio gelding has also posted all three of his career wins in the South Island and while his recent efforts have been moderate, to say the least, he will at least find track conditions to his liking.

His opposition has also been well-tried with little collective success and Matoaka has some each-way appeal. The Shinko King mare at least has a win and a placing to her credit from three past visits to Gore.