Wingatui trainer Shankar Muniandy was hoping the weekend would be a career-defining one, but instead he has been left scratching his head in search of a new plan for stable star Loose Sally.
The dual stakes winner was set to have her first tilt at elite level in Saturday’s group 1 Mufhasa Classic at Trentham, but those plans were quashed when her ferry was cancelled.
"We couldn’t get across [Cook Strait], which was unfortunate," Muniandy said.
"She travelled to Christchurch and has arrived back home now.
"It was the first runner [in a group 1] for me too, so it is frustrating."
The aborted trip has not put Muniandy off crossing Cook Strait again.
The Otago horseman is eyeing another ferry crossing next month to head to Trentham with Loose Sally to contest the group 2 Thorndon Mile.
While he has circled the Trentham race, Muniandy is finding it difficult mapping out a path towards the January 17 feature.
"We are still looking at the Thorndon Mile, but she will need another couple of runs under her belt before she goes there," he said.
"I am not really sure what the plan is with her now. It is hard to get a race with her rating. She is a rating 79 and is racing in open class now.
‘‘It all depends where you place them. Down here, if you win one or two more races, her rating will be through the roof."
Loose Sally showed plenty of promise as a 3-year-old last season, winning three of her six starts, including the listed Dunedin Guineas and listed Warstep Stakes, and placing in the listed NZB Insurance Stakes.
She won second-up over a mile (1600m) at her home track last month and has now accrued more than $190,000 in prizemoney for her connections. — LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
By Joshua Smith
