Local legend looking forward to feature winter meeting

[Wandering Eyes]

Leonard Stewart has made his presence felt on Waimate Cup Day in recent years, and the highly respected Timaru horseman is looking forward to another edition of the feature winter meeting at Phar Lap Raceway on Sunday.

Stewart saddled Take The Deel to win the Dunstan Horsefeeds Waimate Cup in 2021 and Vague to repeat that result in 2022. The race was run over 2200m in both of those years but has subsequently changed to 1600m. Stewart had three runners in the 2023 edition, which was won by Zelenski. In a blow to the South Canterbury region, last year’s Waimate Cup meeting was abandoned after only two races.

“I’m looking forward to Sunday, hopefully it will be a really good day’s racing after we missed out on the meeting last year,” Stewart said. “Waimate is a good club and I’m pleased that they’re holding their licence.

“But the track conditions might be a factor this weekend. We’ve had a huge amount of rain, especially overnight on Wednesday when it rained all through the night. A few of the races might come down to a bit of luck and who handles the conditions the best.”

Stewart, who turns 93 this month, is back with another multi-pronged contingent for the Waimate Cup. The 2022 winner Vague could shoot for a second win in the $30,000 feature, while Sympathique – a nine-race winner including two of her last four starts – has lightweight claims with only 50kg on her back.

“Vague managed to win the race a few years ago and might be a chance again this year, although I’m a bit worried about the track conditions,” Stewart said. “She’s a very nice-actioned galloper who doesn’t really handle the very deep tracks. But she is going into this weekend in good order.

“Sympathique is one of those battlers who doesn’t mind wet ground. She’s racing well and has the ability to run along. She’s a runner’s chance.”

Stewart has a total of 10 horses entered for his home track on Sunday and is keen on Koyama’s prospects in the Waimate RC Life Members Rating 65 (1600m). The four-year-old has won three races and hinted at a return to his best form with a creditable last-start second at Wingatui. All of his three wins have come on heavy tracks, and apprentice jockey Teddy Ladouceur’s 4kg claim will reduce his impost to 56kg.

“I do like Koyama,” Stewart said. “He’s not a very big horse, but he’s drawn well in gate four and should get a nice suck along from there. Teddy, Bruce Tapper’s apprentice, is riding well and seems to get on nicely with the horse. I think he’s quite well placed in that race.” Stewart’s other well-credentialled entries for Sunday include Destiny’s Purpose, who looks close to a maiden win in the GM Accounting & Consulting Maiden (1200m) after finishing strongly for a close third at Ashburton last time out.

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