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Ronda runs them ragged at Otaki; Another saintly performance from 4YO; Preferment thriving ahead of HK test;Magic Shaft surprises;

Ronda runs them ragged at Otaki

Speedy filly Ronda has made an impressive opening to her Listed Karaka Million campaign.

The precocious youngster claimed fourth spot in the order of entry for the January 24 feature when she led all the way for a dominant first-up win in the Courtesy Ford 2YO at Otaki on Friday.

“She’s still got a bit to learn and halfway down the straight she pricked her ears and was waiting for them,” trainer Mark Forbes said.

“She’ll run on Boxing Day or New Year’s Day to give her a look around Ellerslie and then it will be on to the Million.”

Forbes trains Ronda for Singapore owner Justin Wong, who he became friendly with during a five month period they spent together on a cadet training course at the Irish National Stud.

Another saintly performance from 4YO

Saint Emilion continues to press his claims for a crack at the better middle distance horses in the country.

The four-year-old won for the sixth time in his 14-start career when he made short work of his Rating 85 opposition at Otaki on Friday.

“He’s obviously a very good stayer,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman said. “He’s been in work for a little while but he’s thriving, he’s really in the zone. He is nominated for a couple of the good staying races so we’ll see what happens.”

Saint Emilion has entries for the Gr.3 Scot Thrust City of Auckland Cup and the Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup.

Preferment thriving ahead of HK test

Preferment is on target to make the most of a second and unexpected crack at a major title.

The Gr.1 Melbourne Cup was to have been the New Zealand-bred son of Zabeel’s grand final, but the Flemington feature turned into a disappointment with a slow pace counting against him.

Such has been Preferment’s progress since, that trainer Chris Waller is now focussed on next month’s Gr.1 Hong Kong Vase and an exhibition gallop at Rosehill on Saturday will further his international build-up.

“After five days out on a beautiful farm bucking his heels up, we then made the decision to have a serious crack at Hong Kong,” Waller said.

“It was never in the plan, but we inoculated about 20 horses in the winter to ensure everything was up to date should we decide on sending one of them.”

Magic Shaft surprises

A former top juvenile showed he still had a touch of magic about him with an upset victory at Otaki on Friday.

A stakes winner and runner-up in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes when trained earlier in his career by John Sargent, Magic Shaft won for the second time from Donald Caskey’s New Plymouth yard when he claimed the Rating 75 sprint.

“His previous run at Wellington was too bad to be true so we changed a bit of gear and home he’s rolled,” Caskey said.