Central Districts stayer Duplicity showed he is ready to go one better in next Saturday’s Gr.3 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup (3200m) when he ground out a tough victory in the traditional lead-up event, the Listed Redwood Metropolitan Trophy Handicap (2500m).
A storming run for second in the Listed Feilding Cup (2200m) last weekend had the seven-year-old Duporth gelding on song for Saturday’s contest and he didn’t disappoint, courtesy of a heady ride from Rosie Myers.
Myers had the Ashley Meadows-trained galloper in a handy position throughout and made her move into the race with 600m to run.
Despite hitting the front at the top of the long Riccarton home straight Duplicity fought like a tiger as he held out last year’s winner Dee And Gee by half a head with Soleseifei just a half head further back in third.
Myers, who was aboard Duplicity 12-months ago when they were beaten by a long head in the New Zealand Cup by Matamata galloper Bizzwinkle, is adamant the gelding is ready to step up to the winner’s mantle next weekend.
“He’s a neat old horse who only does what he has to but he stuck his head out at the line and it was a very good win,” she said.
“He just got beat last year (in the New Zealand Cup) and hopefully we can go one better.
“He doesn’t get a penalty for this race (win) so it puts him in good stead.
“He’s full of beans and they’ve done a great job with him.”
Trainer Ashley Meadows acknowledged that race fitness had played a major role in the win as opposed to last year where Duplicity could only finish seventh in the race.
“He’s a lot stronger this time and I think the difference between this year and last year is that he’s come here a fit horse,” he said.
“Last year he needed the run on the first day so now it is hopefully just maintenance for the next week and we can go again in the Cup.
“He doesn’t like the wet so it’s hard to get a line on him so his last run was very positive.
“We’ll look after him and he should be right for next week.”
A late bloomer who only kicked off his career as a winter three-year-old, Duplicity has now won six of his 32 starts for owner Paul Connor after Meadows had purchased him for $27,500 from the Lime Country Thoroughbreds Ltd. draft during the 2014 Select Yearling Sale at Karaka.
The sixth stakes-winner for Duporth, Duplicity is the first foal of Reset mare Bidthemobgooday and is the older half-brother of useful Australian galloper Chouxting The Mob. – NZ Racing Desk
