The timing was perfect for both of trainer Alister Black’s winners at Cromwell yesterday.
Black produced Rightazz for an overdue victory before Don’t Ask brought her best game to dispatch a talented feature trot field.
Don’t Ask ran a big second two starts ago before disappointing in her outing at Gore.
Black put the mare getting her form back on track courtesy of yesterday’s explosive performance down to timing.
"Last start might have been trainer error," Black said.
"I made the fatal mistake of bringing her to the races too early and she had to stand there a while and she gets herself a bit worked up.
"She didn’t have to travel to the races today because we came up to Cromwell on Thursday.
"I brought her out of the paddock an hour and a-half before he race and geared her up."
Seeing Don’t Ask mix her form is nothing new for Black and her owner-breeder Lindsay Thomson, the horse’s nerves clearly having an effect on her game.
"You just don’t know which horse is going to turn up," Black said.
"After her run at Riverton we went to Gore pretty confident she would run a good race."
Kerryn Tomlinson drove Don’t Ask to victory while fellow junior driver Max Hill combined with Rightazz in his win.
Black was full of praise for Hill after the reinsman timed his run perfectly after sitting off a hot pace.
"The race was set up for him. They went hard all the way and he was able to make the most of it.
"It was a good drive from Max. He is a good kid and I think he is going to go a fair way in this game."
Clinching a penalty-free win is crucial for Rightazz, considering how competitive he is in the rating 40-50 grade.
"He falls out of the gate as everyone knows and he gets back, but he has been running some good races.
"At Winton he was three-wide without cover and he went a good race for sixth, but that doesn’t pay the feed bill.
"He is really competitive in that 50 and lower grade. When he gets in those 55-70 races he is going all right races but they are too good for him, realistically."
A perfect two-from-two at Cromwell yesterday completed a successful week for Black and his major owners, Ian and Lindsay Thomson.
Between them, the trainer and owners purchased four yearlings at the National Yearling Sales in Christchurch on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"We are happy enough. I think we might have got our Bettor’s Delight colt for slightly unders.
"You have got to restock the shelves each year. It is like going to the supermarket."
