Trainer has eyes on Group One prize

[Wandering Eyes]

Vicki Prendergast is banking on a change of fortune for Our Alley Cat (NZ) (Atlante) at Te Rapa to add further momentum to the talented mare’s campaign that will have its finale on New Year’s Day.

The Matamata horsewoman has a Group One plan in place for the daughter of Atlante and success in Saturday’s Gr.2 Dunstan Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) would see her firmly on target.

Our Alley Cat was an impressive winner when she resumed at Hastings in October and returned to the Hawke’s Bay spring carnival for the Gr.3 Red Badge Spring Sprint (1400m), in which she finished fourth after being held up in the straight.

“I’m really stoked with her, she’s very well and happy and was unlucky at her last start, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Hopefully, that’s the bad luck out of the way,” Prendergast said.

Our Alley Cat has been set for the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 1 and a decision will be made after the weekend whether she has another lead-up outing.

“There is one other race I would consider in three weeks and then it would be another three weeks into the Railway if I think she needs another run,” Prendergast said, referring to the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m).

Out of the winning Scaredee Cat mare Cat Woman, Our Alley Cat was bred by Waikato dairy farmers Raewyn and Martin Armstrong and race her with Prendergast.

“Raewyn had a share in Cat Woman when she was racing and bought the syndicate out to breed from her, but she lost her unfortunately,” Prendergast said.

“She had three foals and died when she was heavily pregnant with the fourth one and Our Alley Cat has been the best.”

Prendergast has an extensive equestrian background and was initially a reluctant trainer, only joining the ranks at the insistence of Raewyn Armstrong.

“I grew up with horses and used to event to a high level when I was younger. I retired from that and did show jumping and still have a lot of showjumpers, mostly ones I have bred myself,” she said.

“It was Raewyn who got me in to it. I used to do a bit of pre-training for Raewyn when we lived just down the road from her at Manawaru, between Te Aroha and Matamata.

“She kept asking me to train one and I kept saying no, but when we bought a property in town in Matamata I gave in and said you get one and I’ll get one and I’ll do two of them.

“She bought Battle Royal, who won three and ran second a lot, and the one that I had was sold to the South Island where it won one, but it was a mad thing.”

Her best performer before the emergence of Our Alley Cat was Hello M’Lady, a mare by Shocking who won four races and placed in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) and the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1340m).

Also by Shocking is Electrify, who finished a close third on debut at Rotorua in September for Prendergast and has since been sold to Australia.

“Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have got her and she has won a trial over there and is out spelling now,” she said.

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