Trio of wins for Black

Branxholme trainer Alister Black is running hot at the moment, winning three  races at the Invercargill Cup Meeting at Ascot Park today.

Zaccy Mac got the ball rolling. Having his second start, he beat Beauty Barry by a length and a quarter in the Beach Road Holiday Park Mobile Pace.

“I was pretty happy with his run at Winton. Nathan (Williamson) came back in and said if the horse had got a go he would have run in the first six,” Black said.

Driver Matty Williamson settled the Net Ten EOM gelding just beyond midfield on the outside running line before improving to sit parked with a lap to run.

“I said to Matty today not to be frightened to send him (forward). He just lacks that bit of high speed so he took the speed out of them down the back, so it couldn’t have worked out better.”

With 600 metres to run Williamson served it up to pacemaker Beauty Barry and finished the race off too well.

Zaccy Mac was bred by Brent McIntyre at Macca Lodge and is named after his grandson Zac. He’s out of the Falcon Seelster mare Lillian which was bred by Tuapeka Lodge. The gelding is raced by the Thomson brothers Lindsay and Ian, who raced Lawrence, a half-brother to Zaccy Mac.

Winners circle, pretty relaxed.                  –Photo Bruce Stewart

Three races later Wai Key Wee won his second race from as many starts in the hands of Blair Orange.

By The Pres, the four year old began well and with two laps to run Orange took Wai Key Wee to the front. There he stayed, winning by a length and a quarter from early pacemaker Steve.

“He’s got beautiful manners. He hasn’t really learned his trade yet. It’ll come. Being out of a Sundon mare, I’ve just let him find his way. Blair said he had plenty left,” Black said.

It was the gelding’s second win for his owners Art Shirley, Paul McEntyre and the estates of KJ Egerton and RD Hampton.

“It’s hard in Southland. They just get handicapped out of it. We’ll try and find a penalty free race now.”

Normally Oamaru driver Brad Williamson would be at the reins for Black but he’s in Australia looking to win Group races with Majestic Man.

“I hope he drives a couple of Group Ones over there because he’s missed out on about six winners so far. Hat’s off to him to be going.”

Later in the day Black made it three winners for the day when the highly talented Keep On Dreaming won his second race in two starts.

The Better’s Delight showed just how green he is, goofing around a bit while challenging for the lead with 1600 metres to run.

The win was one of two for Matty Williamson who is in a hot vein of form at the moment too, winning four races at Forbury Park on Thursday.

Keep On Dreaming is also owned by Lindsay and Ian Thomson and looks to be a leading candidate for the end of season Southern Supremacy Stakes.

Meanwhile Boarding Pass won for Kennington trainer Greg Hunter . She won the first race on Cup day in the hands of Craig Ferguson.

by Bruce Stewart