Twain impressive at Tauranga

[Wandering Eyes]

Progressive sprinter Twain (NZ) (Per Incanto) added another victory to his burgeoning record when he dominated his rivals in the Tauranga Hardware & Plumbing (1200m) at Tauranga on Saturday.

The John Bell-trained four-year-old had opened his account at the Bay of Plenty venue back in July and quickly followed up with a second win at Te Rapa shortly afterwards.

A pair of placed finishes followed without a lot of luck, however, in Saturday’s seven-horse rating 75 contest he looked a strong prospect and so it proved as he tracked tearaway pacemaker Kiva Han before taking over on the home bend to bolt clear before easing down for a three-length victory in the hands of rider Billy Jacobsen.

Bell had expected a strong performance and was pleased his charge could deliver for his owners Elizabeth and Peter Martin, who bred him from outstanding Group One performed mare Fleur De Lune.

“That was very exciting,” Bell said.

“What really impressed me was that the horse was giving a lot of weight to the others but the pacemaker with the young apprentice aboard gave us a great drag into the race.

“You can only see this guy going forward from here and I’m so pleased for Billy as he has had a break and is back now and riding well.

“Elizabeth and Peter Martin have some lovely bloodlines and horses and I’m lucky enough to have some to train.”

Bell was guarded on the immediate future for Twain but did mention he may be tempted to set him for the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) on Karaka Millions night (January 25), where he produced Julius to win the Ellerslie sprint feature in 2000.

“We will just sit on him now and see as it will depend on tracks,” he said.

“A bit of a dream might be to do what Julius did in the Railway.

“I’m banking that Ellerslie will suit him as my horses like some ping out of the tracks so if it does, here we come.”

Twain is the third living foal of Fleur De Lune who won six of her 37 career starts and was also placed at Group One level on five separate occasions as she accumulated over $429,000 in prizemoney. 

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