Riccarton Park trainer Lance Robinson is trekking south to Gore with just the one run runner for the meeting tomorrow, but he is hopeful that will be enough to bring home a winner’s cheque.
Promising Tagaloa gelding Alottago will be seeking to bounce back in the listed Liquorland Gore Guineas (1335m) following his placing of seventh in the group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas in November, the only blemish in his seven-start career.
Robinson said the heavy9 conditions were not to his gelding’s liking that day and he was proud of Alottago’s tenacity in fighting on for seventh in a race headed by the $4 million NZB Kiwi-bound stablemates Romanoff and Affirmative Action.
"His run in the Guineas was outstanding," Robinson said.
"He drew 2 and he was down in the worst of the ground in a mile [1600m] race. To his credit he pressed on really well.
"We were really proud of the horse that day and we gave him a nice break after that and he has come back really well."
Alottago was runner-up in a 1200m trial at Ashburton earlier this month and pleased Robinson with an exhibition gallop last week, which has given him confidence leading into the southern assignment.
"He had a really nice trial a fortnight ago at Ashburton. We took him to Riccarton the other day where he had an exhibition gallop between races and we were really happy with that.
"He is as forward as we can have him for a fresh-up run."
Robinson will be keeping a close eye on the weather in the lead-up, as he is loathe to run his charge on a rain-affected track.
"As long as it doesn’t get too wet down here, that’s my only concern," he said.
"If the track got really wet I would probably pull him out.
"The forecast is good until Monday, so hopefully that rain holds off and we can get a good track, and he should run really well."
A $20,000 purchase by Robinson out of Apex Bloodstock’s 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock ready-to-run sale draft, Alottago has gone on to win two and place in four of his seven starts. The placings include the listed Welcome Stakes (1000m), listed Champagne Stakes (1200m) and group 3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m), and he as earned more than $80,000.
If all goes well tomorrow, Robinson is keen to chase the other two legs of the Southern Guineas Series with his charge — the Southland Guineas (1400m) and Dunedin Guineas (1600m).
"We will get Sunday out of the way, get him home and reassess after that, but we will follow that series and then he can have a winter break," Robinson said.
Alottago is rated a $6 second-favourite behind the John and Karen Parsons-trained Miss Starlight at $3.90. — LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
By Joshua Smith
