Stakes Goals for Stryker 3YO

Media Release - Friday August 11
An early three-year-old plan is in place for the talented Not Usual Trip to bag his first black type victory.

"It will be quiet steps as he’s a lovely horse with a nice action,” said Donna Logan, who trains the Stryker colt with Chris Gibbs. "At this stage there’s a 1000 metre race for him here and then the stakes race.”

Not Usual Trip - Trish DunnellShe was referring to the Listed Tavistock Northland Breeders’ Stakes at Ruakaka on September 16.

Not Usual Trip has impressed in a brief career with an easy debut win at Ellerslie in April before he finished fourth in the Listed Waikato Equine Centre Veterinary Stakes at Te Rapa behind Ardossan, who is now in Mick Price’s Caulfield stable.

He was then freshened to resume on his home track last month and he coasted to a five and a-half length victory.

Those performances have attracted buyer interest in Not Usual Trip, who is raced by Hongwei Chen and Alex Teng’s Horse Feng Bloodstock.

Meanwhile, there is confidence in Rocstock’s ability to add to his record in the near future.

"He’ll have his next start here and we think he will go pretty close, he’s a really smart horse,” Logan said.

Rocstock made his debut at Ruakaka last month and he overcome a chequered run to deliver at the first time of asking. The Tavistock gelding is raced by Ascot Farm’s Bruce and Maureen Harvey, whose son Glen secured him for $80,000 at Karaka in 2015.

His half-sister Dance For Money was a two-year-old debut winner last season for Awapuni trainer Gary Vile. – NZ Racing Desk.



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