Captain Sampson the one to beat at Cambridge

[Wandering Eyes]

Tuesday racing continues at Cambridge today with much interest in commanding favourite Captain Sampson in Race 9 at 7.35pm. Successful owners/breeders Alan and Lyn Messenger will also line up three horses at the meeting as they try to extend their winning run. 

Captain Sampson the one to beat at Cambridge

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk

Captain Sampson will have something of a NZ Cup Day audition when racing resumes at Cambridge today.

The Captaintreacherous two-year-old, who has created a big impression with two wins in just three career starts, was a bit of a surprise inclusion in Tuesday’s fields.

But driver Tony Cameron says Captain Sampson’s trainers Brian and Gareth Hughes are doing it with a longer term goal in mind.

“They thought he would benefit from another race and thought they’d give him another go this way round before he heads south (to Addington).”

It’s not Captain Sampson’s first start left-handed, he was third on debut at Cambridge before winning both his Woodlands Stud Sires heats at Alexandra Park in September.

In today’s Melbourne Cup Day at the Raceway Tickets on Sale Mobile Pace Captain Sampson looks a stand out  and has backed into $1.45 on the fixed field markets.

“There are some older race hardened horses in the field and you have to remember he’s only a two-year-old but looking at it he fits into the race well,” says Cameron.

In November Captain Sampson will take on the country’s best two-year-olds in the Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes Final on IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup day.

While Captain Sampson will be duking it out at Cambridge today many of his Cup day rivals will be racing each other in Friday’s $200,000 NZB Standardbred Harness Million Pace at Addington.

That field is likely to include the likes of Marketplace, Rubira and Tact Teva.

Cameron, for one, will be looking on from afar.

“That one of Regan Todd’s (Marketplace) looks pretty smart that’s for sure.”

Cameron is looking ahead to being part of Cup week in Christchurch.

“I have never been to Cup week and two years ago I thought I would go to watch but then thought it would be more memorable to drive on the day,” says Cameron, “and that has now come to fruition.”

Cameron is enjoying a successful year with 16 wins including his first ever Group 1 victory with Inasinglemoment in May’s Breckon Farms Northern Trotting Derby.

Today he has four chances to add his winning tally. In addition to Captain Sampson he’ll also drive Chapel Gate in Race 3, Taco Thursday at the Clubhouse Mobile Pace,  and then good each way chances in Regal Girl in Race 6, the Dunstan HorseFeeds Mobile Trot and Inlkouof (for the Hughes) in Race 7, the Betavet Buildagut Mobile Pace.

Messengers seek to extend winning run 

By Barry Lichter 

Trainer Nicky Chilcott is hoping to extend a remarkable recent roll for Taranaki couple Alan and Lyn Messenger when Vincent’s Girl races at Cambridge on Tuesday night.

All three of the horses Chilcott will line up were bred and are owned by the Messengers, with Katie’s Princess and Sheza Mermaid backing up from their wins on the course last week.

The first-time double took the Messenger’s tally from White Star to 49, a testament, Chilcott says, to their 25 years of loyalty to the stable. 

And it continued a hot winning streak in the last six weeks for the couple with wins also by Says Who and Messenger Buoy, all horses they’ve bred themselves. 

“Alan and Lyn have been amazing,” Chilcott said. “In the early years when they had family and were trying to get ahead they were restricted to having a couple in work. 

“But since they retired and have a bit more spare money after selling off part of the farm, they’ve given me free rein to bring them into work when I want to. 

“They just want to enjoy their horses in their retirement and race them where they’re best suited – the stakes don’t matter.”

After a hiatus in breeding, the Messengers are back with a vengeance:

* Princess Kate, the dam of Vincent’s Girl, Katie’s Princess and Says Who, is in foal to Sweet Lou

* Lyn’s Delight, the dam of Sheza Mermaid and Village Rebel, is in foal to Raging Bull and

* Their half sister Nice Vintage is in foal to Sweet Lou. 

Vincent’s Girl ($3.50) may claim only one win from 14 starts but Chilcott is pleased with the way the four-year-old has come up in a new preparation and says she’s her best chance on Tuesday, despite drawing five of six in the fourth race.

“She has really good gate speed and I think she can lead and win. That’s why I’ve put Leah (Hibell) on as she’ll get only a three point rating penalty if she wins.

“She hasn’t raced for a while, and her form line doesn’t look good, but she’s working really well. She hasn’t trialled but she ran up nicely on Saturday.”

Sheza Mermaid ($3.10) is also a good winning chance again in the second race, for amateur drivers. 

The four-year-old showed true grit to score last week after being unable to cross to the front and having to sit parked. 

“She does lack high speed but she sure is tough. You think she’s beaten and she keeps finding. I wish every horse tried as hard, man she tries her guts out. 

“She won’t go a long way but her toughness will win her three or four races. 

“You can’t knock a horse like that. You can never be disparaging about a horse that’s not that good but tries hard, as opposed to one that has heaps of ability but doesn’t try.”

Chilcott says driver Kevin Hall, who helps out at White Star, knows the mare well, which is a big advantage. 

“Kev won’t let them dawdle round in a middle half of 67 as he knows he can’t drive her for one run.”

Chilcott says Katie’s Princess ($5.50) is only a rough place chance in the final race where Sires’ Stakes heat winner Captain Sampson ($1.45) looks a lock.

“She won well after leading last week. She hadn’t been getting out as fast as she can so I put full blinds on and told Leah to turn the stick and show she meant business. 

“The win was penalty free but she lands at the bottom end of the ratings this time, in a R43 to R49 race. 

“Her gate speed will keep her handy from the inside but she’s a place chance at best.” 

Chilcott is excited about getting underway again with the Messenger’s best pacer Village Rebel who will line up at Auckland on Friday night. 

“I was delighted with his first-up run. It’s a little tricky finding good races for him but we’ll head to the country cups again (after his wins last season in the Otaki Cup, Wairarapa Cup and Palmerstonian). 

“It’s a tough drive up from Taranaki to Cambridge for the Messengers to come too often so I’m trying to get most of their horses down to them, targetting the Hawera meeting (on January 31 and February 2).”

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