Wingatui trainer Steven Prince placed Commix in a 2000m maiden at Omakau yesterday - 600m further than the 4yr-old mare had run in any of her eight previous starts.
Despite the lack of immediate staying pedigree on the sire's side, Prince felt the mare was always better suited over a longer trip.
‘‘It was her first time over ground and she always gave me the impression she would stay,'' he said.
‘‘I probably dropped her a wee bit in the deep end today. She's only had two 1400 [metre] goes. It would have been nice to have a mile [1600m], but there are no miles around.''
Prince had a wrap on Commix as an early 3yr-old and she ran second on debut at Gore in September 2014, but dropped away by the end of her 3yr-old campaign.
‘‘She was a wee bit disappointing last year - I probably gave her a couple of runs too many - but her work the other morning at Wingatui was really good.''
● When Winton trainer John Phillips went shopping at the South Island sale in 2013, he might not have appreciated how astute his bidding could be.
The hammer went down on a 2yr-old gelding with Phillips holding the successful bid of $12,000.
The astute part? The gelding was by emerging sire Tavistock whose first progeny were yet to grace the racetrack.
Just 2 years later, Tavistock's best gallopers include Volkstok'n'barrell, the unbeaten Hasselhoof and VRC Derby winner Tarzino.
Phillips was pleased to spend the money when he did.‘‘Now you can't buy one,'' he said.
His purchase was named Robin Charles, and the 4yr-old cleared maidens over 1100m at Omakau yesterday, nabbing Kruger Rand right on the line.
Phillips could not argue with the job done by Robin Charles prior to yesterday, having finished second, third or fourth in four of his first five starts.
‘‘That's his six starts and he's got five cheques, so he's been pretty consistent,'' Phillips said.
‘‘He's just been a little weak - that's his trouble. And he's possibly still six months away. But the way he fights he'll get 1400m or a mile.''
