Stratocaster (Jonathan Riddell) again showing his liking for left-handed tracks when proving too good at Te Rapa today,
Jonathan Riddell knew what to expect when he climbed aboard Stratocaster at Te Rapa today and the six-year-old didn’t let him down.
“The first time I rode him he was desperately unlucky. It was his first run back,” said Riddell referring to Stratocaster’s fresh-up seventh at Hastings last November when he was blocked throughout the final stages and went to the winning post untested.
Stratocaster raced keenly when unplaced in his next start then showed a touch of class when scoring decisively at Trentham last month with Darryl Bradley in the saddle before two more unplaced runs with Jake Bayliss aboard.
“He’s a lovely horse and he won well at Trentham,” said Riddell.
Happy to be back on Stratocaster for the second time, Riddell allowed the son of Mastercraftsman time to settle in the initial stages and that was a winning move.
Stratocaster was second-last early then a shade closer at the 800 metres and ranged up at the 300 metres to hit the lead soon after. He then drew clear over the final stages to win by a length and a half from Scrutinize.
“He settled beautifully for Jonathan,” said co-trainer Emma-Lee Browne. “That’s been his biggest problem. When he doesn’t settle things just don’t go right.
“That was beautiful today and he’s back to how he should be.”
Stratocaster’s previous start was in the Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap (1600m) at Trentham when he finished 11th, almost six lengths from the winner, Wait A Sec.
“We took down to Trentham, but he was too fresh and he fought there so we thought we’d find something to back him up into so there’s just a bit of edge off him and he behaves better. It’s a fine line between too fresh and not fresh enough.”
It certainly worked for Stratocaster today and now Browne and her husband and training partner, David, can look ahead again to more ambitious goals with the handsome grey, whose three-year-old form included a win in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas Prelude and fourths in the Gr.3 James and Annie Sarten Memorial and the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas and a fifth in the Gr.1 Sothys NZ 2000 Guineas.
