Iggo storms Auckland

Phil Iggo knows what it’s like to place in Group One trotting events.

He’s even won three Group Threes but in December 2016 the North Canterbury horseman wants to go one better in the North Island.

“Ultimately I’m up here (Auckland) to win the (Group One) National Trot with Bordeaux. This is my second trip north with horses and last time we were here The Fat Controller finished third, sixth and fourth,” Iggo said.

The three races Iggo was referring to were the Group Two $40,000 Lyell Creek Stakes at Alexandra Park this Friday; the Group Two Flying Mile at Cambridge Raceway on Christmas Eve; and the Group One $80,000 National Trot on New Year’s Eve.

“Bordeaux will start in those three races while we are in the North Island. I don’t think Marcoola is not that much inferior to Monbet, but those two trotters aside the ranks are pretty even.

“But in saying that my fella did beat the remainder at Kaikoura and finished fourth in the Dominion. I couldn’t be happier with him,” Iggo said.

Iggo left Flaxton last Wednesday (December 7) and arrived with Bordeaux and the un-raced 3-year-old Muscle Mass gelding – Musculus at Richard Brosnan’s Ardmore stable a couple of days later.

“I fast-worked them both on the Sunday before we left and then gave them a jog the morning we arrived. Then I took them both to the Alexandra Park Workouts.

“That was very beneficial,” Iggo said.

Both Bordeaux and Musculus were nice winners at the trials and workouts which attracted a whopping 80 entries.

Bordeaux and Iggo beat Le Reveur and Idle Bones by a neck and three lengths trotting the R89 and faster event in 2:47.1. His winning mile rate for the 2200m mobile was 2:02.2.

Musculus and Iggo beat nine others in their maiden 2200m trot by a length in 2:56.2 (mile rate 2:08.8) with final 800m and 400m sprints of 60.6 and 30.1.

“The 3-year-old is out of our six-win Sundon mare we bred named Sheez Speedy. I qualified him two seconds under time at Rangiora about six weeks ago.

“He’s progressed nicely since. Saturday’s win was his first in five runs at the workouts and trials. I like him a lot and hopefully he should go boldly on debut in the next couple of weeks,” Iggo said.

Musculus won’t line up on Friday but Bordeaux will start from barrier two on the second line (10) in Friday's Group Two Rosslands Lyell Creek Stakes Free-For-All.

“The last time we were up here we were chasing around good ones like Sovereignty and One Over Kenny. Marcoola aside I think it’s going to be a bit easier this time around.

“It was a long journey up but both horses have come through it well and settled in nicely at Richard and Julija’s wonderful property. The workout win has rounded Bordeaux off nicely for Friday,” Iggo said.

Dexter Dunn will drive the chestnut. He was bred by Iggo and his wife Martine, and is by Love You and is out of their six-win Britewell mare, Sapient.

Bordeaux has won eight of his 17 starts and placed in two others for $76,406. He placed in this year's Group Three D G Jones Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup two starts back and then ran fourth in the Group One Dominion on November 11.

Iggo trains his team in a straight line back home but isn’t too perturbed about his duo coping with the Alexandra Park-way-around.

“We are venturing into the unknown a bit, but I have added a near-side pole to teach them to keep their heads straight. Both are working well and I was pleased with the way they came through their first look at Alexandra Park.

"I've won three Group threes and placed in a couple of Group Ones over the years. The aim is to improve on that record while I'm up here," Iggo said.

Duane Ranger