Cleese to make raceday return

[Wandering Eyes]

Cambridge gelding Cleese (NZ) (Sweet Orange) will make his first appearance at the races in more than nine months when he heads to Arawa Park on Wednesday to contest the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua 1560. 

The seven-year-old son of Sweet Orange was last sighted on raceday when runner-up behind Group Three performer Nest Egg at Ellerslie last September, with trainer John Bell nursing a couple of niggly issues with the gelding. 

Bell reported he is now in full fettle, and he is looking forward to his gelding resuming on Wednesday, albeit at a distance further than intended. 

“He has been away for a while, but he is probably one of the most improved horses in the stable,” Bell said.  

“We had to put him in that race because there was nothing else around for him. I would have liked to have gone to a 1400m, but he will run a nice race over 1560m. 

“He will be a bit fresh of course, but he hasn’t run a bad race in his life, and I am very pleased to have him back.” 

Cleese was set to lumber 61.5kg but will get some weight relief courtesy of apprentice jockey Sam McNab’s four-kilogram claim. 

Bell has yet to map out the rest of Cleese’s preparation and said Wednesday’s performance will dictate his next target. 

“We will get through this one and assess his fitness as to where we head,” he said. “We will take it race by race.” 

Looking ahead to the weekend, Bell will have just the one runner at Te Rapa on Saturday but has yet to decide which race they will target. 

Ata Rangi (NZ) (Haradasun) is dual nominated for the OTL Group LTD Hurdle (2800m) and John Young Family 2400, but he said retirement is looming for the nine-year-old gelding with the lack of jumping opportunities available to him now that he has won his maiden hurdle.  

“I have him in the hurdle, but he is going to come up against horses that have won five or six races, so that doesn’t thrill me at all,” Bell said. “I am looking for a 0-1 or 0-2 hurdle, which they don’t have anymore. 

“I have got him in the 2400m as well. If we can’t get suitable races for jumping, he will probably be retired.”

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