Unbeaten Weaponry Set for Gore Guineas

The Informant reports:

Te Akau three-year-old Weaponry is prepared for anything that might be thrown at him in Saturday's Listed Liquorland Gore Guineas.

The Declaration Of War gelding has already handled a range of circumstances to be unbeaten in two starts for trainer Jamie Richards.  Weaponry ran close to the pace to win his maiden at on a slow track at Rotorua in November, then sat off the speed to win his second start at Ruakaka last month on a good track.

Richards hopes the kind of versatility Weaponry has already shown will stand him in good stead when he steps up to Listed company in Saturday's 1350-metre feature and the remaining southern Guineas races.

Richards said.

“He is two from two, so he has done a good job and we thought this is the kind of race that was within his grasp.

“He is the sort of horse that can handle soft tracks and good tracks. He raced on the speed at Rotorua and he came from the back a bit at Ruakaka, so he is adaptable.”

Weaponry is one of two North Island raiders that will start in Saturday's feature. Fox In Socks will also line up in the event for fellow Waikato trainer Shaune Ritchie. Richards said Weaponry had settled in to Te Akau's South Island base well.

“He has travelled down in good order. He has never been a flash track worker, you would never back him off the way he works. But when he gets the hood on on raceday, he really goes to the next level.”

Richards has booked Jason Laking to ride Weaponry on Saturday. The jockey formed an excellent combination with the Te Akau stable in the spring.

Laking has not ridden since the last day of the New Zealand Cup carnival. His last mount was a winning one on Imelda's Girl for trainers Les and Richard Didham.

Back