Local trainer Nigel Tiley achieved a perfect result on his home patch when he provided the quinella in the day's feature event, the Group II Manco Easter Handicap (1600m).
In a masterful training performance Tiley produced
talented stayer Megablast fresh-up off a six-month break to score a decisive
victory from stablemate Brighton with the well fancied Romancer battling
strongly into third.
Media reports during the week indicated Tiley was bullish about the prospects of Megablast who hadn't raced since finishing midfield in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) back in October. That confidence was borne out of the six-year-olds impressive fresh-up statistics that included a victory over the same distance at Ellerslie to commence his last campaign plus his ability to handle rain-affected tracks.
"Everything fell into place for him as he's a horse who races well fresh," said Tiley as he accepted congratulations after the race.
"I wanted to get him ready first-up as I thought he could do it.
"When he first came back into work he was a different horse, just so much stronger, so this was always the plan."
Tiley was also rapt with the performance of Brighton who coincidentally had won one of the day's other feature events, the Listed Diamond Lodge Champagne Stakes (1600m), as a two-year-old back in 2015.
"He's (Brighton) flying," he said.
"He hasn't shown anything on a wet track for a while, but he had been working well."
Tiley will now recommend a Queensland campaign for Megablast although he admitted he hadn't discussed that eventuality with gelding's owners before the race.
"I think we might have to go to Queensland on that," he said.
"I haven't discussed it with the owner's yet, but I'll get them now.
"He's such an honest horse that just eats wet tracks but also tries so hard on top of the ground."
With the victory Megablast advanced his career record to nine wins from just 28 starts with close to $270,000 in stakes earnings. – NZ Racing Desk
