Bradman a key Opunake Cup contender

[Wandering Eyes]

A seasoned version of talented galloper Bradman has shown up to the races this term and he will be out to continue a top-tier campaign in Tuesday’s rescheduled Listed Sinclair & Electrical Opunake Cup (1400m).  

Having always shown ability, Bradman took his time in learning the ropes of being a racehorse, a patient game that has paid off in spades for his trainer and part-owner Roydon Bergerson. The son of Pins picked up the Listed Flying Handicap (1400m) and placed in the Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m) and more recently, the Listed AGC Training Stakes (1400m) during his six-year-old term.  

“Probably being a year older his racing manners have gotten much better, every start he had he was in the judicial report for doing silly things in his races,” Bergerson said.  

“Tony Lee (commentator) said once he was going for a hotdog halfway down the straight at Trentham.  

“He’s turned out to be a pretty versatile horse, he can run a quick time on a good track and handle the heavy ground as well.  

“He’s really competitive in either conditions so he’s a great horse to have in the stable.”  

Bergerson elected to head back to the trials at Foxton to prepare for the midweek feature, which has been moved from New Plymouth to Hawera after heavy rain throughout the lower North Island caused several abandonments through the week.  

“We freshened him up after Wanganui, he went to the paddock for a week so we thought we’d give him a trial before going into the Cup, and I’m really happy with him,” Bergerson said.  

“I’m actually quite glad they’ve moved to Hawera because he quite likes it there.  

“He did a bit of jumping and swimming over the weekend to keep him happy, he’s a good doing horse so we’ve got to keep on top of him.  

“He had a good three-quarter pace this morning (Sunday) on the poly by himself and went really well, so he’s all set to go.”  

Bradman holds a nomination for the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) in a fortnight, however success on Tuesday may see him weighted out of the Riccarton contest.  

“We may go it just depends, if he won on Tuesday he’d probably get topweight and he’s not a very big horse so that’s my only concern for him,” Bergerson said.

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