Maintaining his brilliant strike-rate makes sense for trainer Graeme Anderson as he and his staff brave cold winter mornings at Westwood Beach.
Working horses who have little to no chance of winning simply isn't worth freezing for, Anderson said.
“It's cold out on the beach this time of the year.”
“Not the time to be mucking round with horses you can't win races with.
Anderson proved that theory and boosted his season's winning strike-rate wins with Command Lustre and Marshall Star at Forbury Park on Thursday night.
Both were having their first stars for the Otago horseman and like so many of his runners, both went out as favourites.
Command Lustre came to Anderson from trainer Ivan Court after he was purchased by Tapanui brothers Matt and Greg Saunders.
“Matt Saunders spotted him, as he does,” Anderson said.
“He and his brother Greg, who farms near Tapanui, bought him. He was sent straight to the beach, I've just pottered around with him and he's enjoyed the atmosphere.
“He's still got quite a low rating and there'll be races coming up for him at Forbury Park so he'll go back there.”
Matt Saunders also had a connection with Marshal Star having previously trained the horse for two wins.
Central District licence-holder Scott Dickson and his partner Lydia Pickford then acquired the gelding, who posted eight Central Districts wins before they sent him back south.
“They had hoped he'd get here for the Claimers Series final but he was just a bit late,” Anderson said.
“The final's next week and to get in that you have to start in two heats, so he won't make it. But he's a lovely horse; he'd run out of opportunities up there but there'll be plenty for him down here.”
Another claimers series heat winner, Real Dash, has left the country after being purchased privately out Terry and Glenys Chmiel’s stable.
- NZ Harness News
