Skippers Canyon finishes strongly for Caulfield success

[Wandering Eyes]

Next month’s A$300,000 Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) is on the radar for Skippers Canyon (NZ) (Belardo) after he collected his second Australian victory in come-from-behind style in the A$130,000 Sharp EIT Solutions Handicap (1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday.

The Belardo gelding was imported by OTI Racing after 10 starts in New Zealand, including a maiden win over 2100m at Otaki in January. He also recorded three seconds and a third, along with a fourth in the $350,000 Remutaka Classic (2100m) and a fifth in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m).

Skippers Canyon then crossed the Tasman and joined the stable of Phillip Stokes, who gave him his first two Australian starts during the winter for a win over 1400m at Sandown on July 30 and a second over 1800m at Caulfield on August 16.

Saturday’s Benchmark 74 handicap was the four-year-old’s first appearance since then, and he returned to action in impressive style.

Skippers Canyon was ridden patiently by Lachlan Neindorf and was among the last to come around the home turn. Neindorf unleashed him down the outside of the Caulfield home straight and he reeled in Sigiriya Rock (Alabama Express) and Nearing Liberty (Impending) to win by a long head.

“These OTI colours have been really good to me,” Neindorf said. “Very grateful for Terry Henderson and the team’s support, and it’s good to join up on a good day at Caulfield and get the job done.

“I spoke to my form man this morning and we analysed the race really deeply. I thought we’d end up back there, like we did. He’s got a bad habit of missing the kick. It wasn’t the end of the world. I was aware that it could happen.

“My job from that point was not to join the race until the 700m and then decide whether we were going to stay in and ride for luck if they’d gone slow, or I believed that they’d gone hard enough, to make a looping run, which they sort of did.

“He travelled up nicely in my hands and then he was very good late.

“I think he’ll be suited down to the ground when he gets up over longer trips, especially with his habit of missing the start. A race like the Pakenham Cup will be right up his alley.”

Stokes confirmed that Skippers Canyon will now be set for the Pakenham Cup in four weeks’ time.

“He’ll be aimed for that,” he said. “He’s come here and good order today. We told Lachie, ‘Whatever you do, don’t bomb the start.’ He’s got a real habit of doing that, this horse. Lachie’s gone to Plan B and given him a bit of room with a nice turn of foot.

“He’s a very athletic horse, so he doesn’t take a lot of work. He’s clean-winded, which makes my job easy. He can go on any ground, so that is a plus.

“He’ll run here in two weeks’ time, stepping up to the 1800m, and then on to the Pakenham Cup.”

Skippers Canyon was trained in New Zealand by Opaki-based trainer Jim Wallace and was bred under his Ardsley Stud banner.

From a 13-race career, Skippers Canyon has now recorded three wins and five placings and has earned A$164,155.

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