Parsons team ready for Riccarton

[Wandering Eyes]

My Degree (NZ) (War Decree) will be looking to graduate from maiden ranks when she heads to Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Thursday to tackle the CJC Stallion Tender Open Now Maiden (1400m).

The daughter of War Decree was runner-up on the polytrack in her first-up run over 1400m last week and trainers John and Karen Parsons are hoping she can go one better on Thursday.

“We expected her to go well and she did. She obviously handles the all-weather (track) well,” Karen Parson said.

Stablemate More Than Words (NZ) (Sweynesse) is another that has proved capable on the synthetic and was also runner-up on the track last week following her win on the surface last month.

She will be out to continue her run of form in the NZ Cup Meeting Tickets On Sale 1 September Rating 75 (1400m) where she will jump from barrier six with northern hoop Warren Kennedy aboard.

“When Clinton (Isdale, part-owner and former trainer) sent her down he said she went well on the all-weather,” Parsons said.

“She should go well. She has trained on and her trackwork rider is confident.”

Parsons will also line-up Epilogue (NZ) (Wrote) in the Martin Collins NZ Maiden (1600m) and Rainman (NZ) (Pins) in the Clean Up Canterbury Open Handicap (2200m).

“Epilogue has gone no good twice when ridden in front, so she will be ridden back tomorrow,” she said.

“Rainman should go alright, he has been working well.”

Looking ahead to Saturday, Parsons will have a trio of representatives at Riccarton’s grass meeting, including in-form mare Watch Out (NZ) (Highly Recommended), who has won three and placed in two of her five starts.

The daughter of Highly Recommended will have just her third start on the grass in the Cantabrian Magazine Rating 75 (1200m) and Parsons is confident of another bold showing.

“She has been going well on the all-weather but is just as capable on the grass,” she said.

“She has been working well and Jasmine (Fawcett) rides her well.”

Parsons will also line-up Amberecho (NZ) (Echoes of Heaven) in the Pryde’s Easifeed Open Sprint (1000m) and Hey Mickey in the CJC Stallion Tender Now Open Rating 65 (1800m). 

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