Back to Back?

The Informant writes:

Jason Bridgman could continue a winning trend with either Abidewithme or Bronte Lass (pictured) in the Listed Tui-Backing A Winner Since 1889 Anniversary Handicap at Trentham tomorrow (Saturday).

The Matamata trainer has sneaked both horses into the 1600-metre event on the minimum and that has been the place to find the winners of the race in recent years. The last horse to carry any significant weight to victory in the Anniversary Handicap was Fiscal Madness, who lumped the topweight of 59kg when winning six years ago.

Striker started the winning streak for lightweights when winning the 2009 Anniversary Handicap on 52.5kg off a 52kg minimum. Barinka then won the following year with 53.5kg followed by Roxon with 52.5kg. The minimum was increased to 53kg two years ago and Barinka's stablemate Fairway Wish was successful with that weight.

Last year Bridgman scored with Glad, who also carried 53kg when beating the multiple Group One winner Sangster in what was to be her last raceday appearance. Glad went into the race as a winner of three of her nine starts and with a last-start Rating 85 win at Ellerslie on New Year's Day.

Abidewithme has followed a similar path to Trentham, having won a Rating 85 1400 metres at northern headquarters on Boxing Day, but she has an even better record than Glad did before her Anniversary bid. Glad had been twice black-type placed, whereas Abidewithme has been a stakes winner of the Ray Coupland Stakes as a three-year-old, and all told the winner of five of her eight starts.

Abidewithme is unbeaten in her two outings this campaign and that last start win at Ellerslie is a good form pointer. She narrowly beat Chintz in the event and that horse backed up to win the Gr. 2 Rich Hill Mile on New Year's Day.

“She's a lot stronger this season and holding her condition better and furnishing,” said Bridgman. “She should be even better through the autumn and next season.”

Matt Cameron, who won on Glad last year, will ride Abidewithme and Leith Innes has picked up the mount on stablemate Bronte Lass, who took her record to four wins when scoring at Awapuni last November.

“Bronte Lass possesses a potent turn of foot and she deserves her crack at black-type,” said Bridgman. “She gets back and therefore needs a touch of luck but her formline is strong enough to suggest she can get some of it.”