NZ Cup campaign on track for Who Knows

[Wandering Eyes]

The path towards the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) has been near-faultless for Who Knows (NZ) (Redwood) and the mare has one more box to tick before the big dance at Riccarton in a fortnight.

After a successful campaign through the winter, culminating in a runner-up finish in the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m), Who Knows has enjoyed a relatively light spring, trialing in September before showing her class to win the Egmont Cup (2100m) with ease earlier this month.

The daughter of Redwood went back to the trials last week and skipped home into third under little pressure from regular rider Kate Hercock, who will partner her in Saturday’s Pete’s Kitchen Feilding Cup (2050m) at Tauherenikau.

The mare is likely to start among the favourites for the $80,000 contest, where trainer Niall Quinn is hoping to see another solid performance ahead of her trip south.

“We wanted to give her a good gallop somewhere and the trials fitted in really well, it was going to be a month between runs, so it was just to give her a bit more exercise,” Quinn said.

“Kate was really happy with her, and on Saturday, we’re looking for another good run and a nice hit-out before the New Zealand Cup.

“Everything has been going along pretty smoothly with her, Emma (Quinn) and Jade have been doing a great job with everything at home so hopefully she can continue to go well.”

Quinn considered the option of going through the Listed Nautical Insurance Metropolitan Handicap (2500m) on the first day of the Cup carnival, but opted for Saturday’s race as her final lead-in.

“I don’t think we’ll go to the Metropolitan, the plan is to go straight into the Cup instead of backing up,” he said.

Who Knows is the current $7 second elect for the New Zealand Cup behind I’m A Dirty Rascal, who won last Saturday’s Road to the Jericho (3000m) at Riccarton.

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