Double Header - Part II

And the second "leg" of Te Akau's winning double today went the way of Highly Likely .....

A decision by Te Akau trainer Jason Bridgman not to start on very testing ground last Saturday, paid dividends when Highly Likely (4 g High Chaparral - Starrinka, by Volksraad) was successful in the Pentire @ Rich Hill Stud Rating 65 1600 metres on Aug. 27 at Matamata.

Freshened since he won over 2200 metres on June 18 at Te Aroha, Highly Likely was to contest the Amateur Riders 2200-metre race at Ellerslie, where Te Akau racing manager Jamie Richards - aboard at Te Aroha - was to take the ride. But Bridgman felt the Heavy11 could flatten the horse over such a trip and elected to apply blinkers for the 1600 metres.

As he had done earlier in the day aboard Fast Fiction (Fastnet Rock), apprentice jockey Lee Magorrian again got his mount home by the narrowest of margins.

Working forward along the rail to settle behind the leader, after being a touch slow from barrier three, the winner was urged to pick up the nickel at the 500 metres. Magorrian had Highly Likely clear to challenge at the 300 metres and he showed good attributes in quickening to an advantage, and terrific stretch when under siege from a fast finishing rival.

On footing upgraded to Slow7, he ran his last 600 metres in 37.5, the mile in 1:39.2, and returned fruitful odds of $9.10 & $3.00.

Highly Likely was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis for $80,000 at the 2012 South Island Sale, from the draft of Phoenix Park, and he is owned by the Fortuna Highly Likely Syndicate (Mgr: John Galvin).

“I might have hit the front a bit too soon, but he kicked again when the other horse came to him,” Magorrian said. To which John Galvin replied: “You rode him like a pro”.

Picture credit - www.raceimages.co.nz