It won’t be long before Mr Mojito is back in New Zealand.
That could be as soon as the Kaikoura and/or New Zealand Cups later this year.
Mr Mojito’s terrific second to the freakish Heaven Rocks at Ashburton last Saturday has simply fuelled the desire of connections to return and try to go one better.
“He ran a great race. Second just means we’ll have to come back and give it another shot,” co-trainer Grant Campbell said.
Owner Merv Butterworth more exact: “I’d like think he’ll be back in a few months time for the Kaikoura Cup. I’d love to try and do an Arden Rooney with him.”
Butterworth’s reference is to the fact Arden Rooney snared the Kaikoura/NZ Cup double in 2015. In doing so, trainer-driver Kerryn Manning became the first female to drive an NZ Cup winner.
Mr Mojito did he and connections proud when a slightly luckless, but well beaten second to the still largely untapped Heaven Rocks.
A reflective Manning pondered what might have been had she held the lead instead of handing over to former juvenile superstar Waikiki Beach in the middle stages.
“Maybe I should have kept him out and gone for the all-the-way win, but I thought he was the seasoned horse in the race and would cart me right into the sprint lane,” she said.
Instead, Waikiki Beach weakened on the home bend and held-up Mr Mojito while Heaven Rocks zoomed away with an unassailable lead.
“I’m not saying it would changed the result, but I’m sure we would have finished closer to him,” Manning said.
That said, Manning was immensley proud of her new stable addition.
“He was second-up from a long spell, chased home a horse who likes a bit of a freak and beat the rest easily. Of course we’re thrilled,” he said.
Asked whether he could her next Arden Rooney, who won Manning a Hunter and NZ Cup, she said: “I hope so. He’s certainly a welcome addition to the stable.”
For now, Mr Mojito will return home and bolster the depth in Victoria’s free-for-all ranks.
“It’s only the start of his campaign, his second run back. He should keep getting better,” Manning said.
Adam Hamilton