Both gallopers mixed it with the South Island’s best 2yr-olds last season before heading to the spelling paddock.
The Steve Tyler-trained Our Teddy Boy was one of only two horses — the other was Kiwi Ida — to beat star filly Prom Queen last season.
The horse ran right up to that form to win with a booming finish under apprentice Corey Campbell over 1200m in race 2. However, despite the impressive performance, Tyler will not be aiming Our Teddy Boy at the New Zealand 2000 Guineas, though the horse is still likely to race during New Zealand Cup week.
Before then Our Teddy Boy would be set for the Wingatui meeting on Melbourne Cup day.
Tyler was anticipating a good run before yesterday’s race on the back of the horse’s impressive Wingatui jumpout win earlier this month.
This season, Our Teddy Boy had returned to racing a stronger prospect who settled better underneath his rider, he said.
Sensei gave his rivals a galloping lesson in the last 200m of race 5, a rating 65 sprint.
The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained colt is a 2000 Guineas nominee and enhanced his chances in that race with a stylish win for rider Chris Johnson.
The Michael Daly-trained Don Carlo clinched yesterday’s feature sprint, race 4, with a gritty win in the hands of Kylie Williams.
Don Carlo fought off the challenge of outsider Volcano to win by a nose in 1min 11.3sec.
Earlier on the Timaru card, North Island jockey Samantha Collett scored her 500th riding win, aboard Lady Amadeus in race 1.
• Classy 3yr-old Showemup will line up at Winton tomorrow as she also progresses towards a New Zealand Cup-week target.
The Sally McKay trained 4yr-old takes her next step towards the Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes at Riccarton in tomorrow’s open sprint, race 5.
Central Districts jockey Darryl Bradley, who will link with six of McKay’s nine-horse team at the meeting, will ride Showemup for the first time.
Riverton trainer Stephen Blair-Edie will shoot for back-to-back victories inthe Winton Cup with Come Fly With Me.The 7yr-old meets a six-horse field including last season’s Dunedin Gold Cup winner, La Nouvelle Vague, and his former Graham and Michael Eade stablemate, Stoker’s Rock. The 6yr-old has joined John McKay’s Gore stable after rcampaigning in the North Island.
• Additional information for meetings today.—M2 Matamata RCRiderKeep On Coming — Vinnie JonesScratchingsRace 1: El LucadorRace 4: Asama BlueRace 7: No NeedWeather, cloudy; track, slow8; rail in true positionM4 Egmont RCRiderRace 8: Da Jin Shan — Tony AllanScratchingsRace 6: GobstopperRace 8: Asama BlueWeather, overcast; track, slow9; rail in true position.
M7 Gore HRCScratchingRace 3: Fleur Galleon
- Jonny Turner
