Vegas Strip looking to roll the dice

Pukekohe harness racing trainer Brent Mangos thinks enough of Vegas Strip (American Ideal) to venture south to Addington for the Group Two Avon City Ford New Zealand Welcome Stakes on Friday night (May 12).

At Alexandra Park on debut Vegas Strip ran second to Venturesomearden (Captaintreacherous) beaten by a length and a half. Mangos was more than happy with the run. 

“He drew well at two but because he was a two year old having his first start against the older horses I didn’t want to burn him up too much. After 600 metres he ended up parked, but he relaxed out there. He then got the one one. His sectionals were good. They ran home in 27.5 off the front and he hit the line well. At Alexandra Park since they’ve redone the track it seems a bit harder now to make ground if you’re wider.”

Mangos brought the gelding south last week to give him plenty of time to settle in at Mark and Nathan Purdon’s Rolleston barn.

“We took a blood (test) from him when he got there, and it wasn’t perfect, but he’s had five or six days down there now. They worked him this morning (Wednesday) and they were happy enough with him.”

In Friday night’s juvenile feature Vegas Strip draws four in the seven horse field.

“I’d like to think he’ll have a bit of gate speed on Friday night and hop across to the fence. He’s a nice wee high speed chap, very tractable and a good pacer. It’s a small field so he’ll be competitive.”

Mangos says Vegas Strip will have new owners on Friday night with Perth trainer Greg Bond sealing the deal earlier this week.

“He’ll race for Les (Pettifer) and Greg on Friday night. Les has kept a share in him. After Friday night he’ll have a wee break and get ready for the Golden Slipper which is their main Group One race later in the year.”

Vegas Strip was bred by Pettifer and is out of his Bettor’s Delight mare Vegas Delight. Mangos and his then training partner Hayden Cullen trained her to win five races.

Vegas Delight in turn is out of Pocket Queen (In The Pocket) which won four races for Pettifer including the North Island Breeders Stakes and Ladyship Stakes.

Mangos also trained Vegas Strip’s full-brother Double Up to win two races before he was sold to Perth owners. He’s won a further fourteen races for the Bond Stable.

This year will be the 80th running of the Welcome Stakes with the last nine editions having been won by the All Stars stable and Mangos says one of their runners Bronson, (Vincent) will be the hardest to beat. 

Meanwhile Mango’s former stable star South Coast Arden (Somebeachsomewhere) was at the Menangle trials today for his new trainer Gavin Fitzpatrick.

The winner of thirteen races and over half a million dollars in stakes in New Zealand, South Coast Arden won his 1609 metre trial by 4.3 metres pacing the distance in 1-52.8. It was the gelding’s second trial in Australia as he prepares to start a new chapter of his career.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink