He Reaches the Heights

Te Akau had a good day on April 28 at Tauranga, presenting two to race and coming away with two victories.

No to be outdone, after Highly Likely (High Chaparral) won earlier on the programme, Skyscraper (4 g Manhattan Rain - Grand Performance, by Palace Music) rounded out the day with an authoritative four-length win in the Aztech Signs Tauranga Rating 65 1600 metres.

The winning combination of horse and rider (Cameron Lammas) had broken through over a mile on Valentine's Day at Matamata. Although tried over more distance since then, reverting back to 1600 metres did the trick - that and the addition of visor blinkers which trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards added to sharpen his focus.

“We had been toying with the idea of adding head gear, but thought he could get a bit fired up,” said Autridge, of the often highly strung individual.

“But Cameron (Lammas) got him to settle nicely once left alone in front and he found a great kick when he asked him to go.

“It appears he's appreciated the visors on, a bit of jumping in his work and he wanted to win,” said Autridge.

There was some concerns regarding his ability to gain traction on slow footing, being a long striding horse, but it continued to improve throughout the day as indicated by running the 1600 metres in 1:38.7 and last 600m in 36.1.

“He takes a fair of work and we have to give praise to Kelly Price who rides him first thing each morning,” said Richards.

“Also Dan Miller, who has been schooling him over hurdles at the track, in order to get his head in the right place, and it was a lovely ride by Cameron (Lammas) who seems to get on better with him than anybody else.

“When you get him on the right day he is a very good galloper, but he is a funny sort of horse that needs everything to go right.

“It's good for the owners, they've been so patient with him and he hasn't been easy, and good that a few of them were on course to witness the win,” said Richards.

Owned by the Te Akau Skyscraper Syndicate, he was purchased as a yearling by David Ellis for $25,000 at the 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale, from the draft of Westbury Stud, and was aptly named on two counts: being a tall horse and also a son of Manhattan Rain.

Skyscraper was strapped by Jahmane Murray-Bromwich.

Photo credit - www.raceimages.co.nz

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