3 minute read

Former Concorde Handicap winner Shezhardtocatch made a welcome return to winning action with a convincing performance to take out the New Zealand Herald Super Sport 1200 at Ellerslie on Sunday.

It was the four-year-old mare’s first glimpse of form after finishing well back in the first three runs of her summer campaign following a three-year-old season that produced a pair of Group Three victories.

Stable foreman Alan Peard, who was representing trainer Bruce Wallace, was relieved the mare had shown what she was capable of with the winning run.

“She’s been a little disappointing as we’ve had a few issues but the team back home has worked really hard to get her back,” he explained.

“She needed that inside barrier where she could get those softer sectionals as she has a big finish and showed it today.”

The pace was on throughout the race with several runners vying for the lead in the early stages before eventual runner-up Cartell and Alvesta settled in front of the field. Shezhardtocatch was positioned in midfield by rider Rory Hutchings before the newest member of the Group One winning jockey fraternity eased her off the fence to make a challenge as the field straightened for the run home.

The daughter of Elusive City charged to the lead at the 200 metre mark to hold out gallant pacemaker Cartell by a neck with Frank Whittaker finishing home nicely to grab third just ahead of Black Mascara. With the early pace on the winner returned a fine time of 1.09.91 for the 1200 metre journey, easily the fastest on the day’s programme.

“We had the Telegraph at Wellington as her main aim all the way through but with those niggles she has had she just hasn’t come up as we would like,” noted Peard.

“With the win today the pressure is off a little so we will now be able to work out a programme for her over the next couple of months.”