It’s been a long way back for Ryal Bush trained Rakarover.
He won his last race a year ago at Wyndham, but subsequently suffered from a quarter crack problem.
“It was a pretty bad one so we opted to put him out for the rest of the season. He was going alright at the start of this season but he actually had two quarter cracks; one on the hind leg and one on the front foot so it’s been catch up from there really. He’s a horse that when you turn him out he always gets a bruised foot so he’s probably susceptible to it,” said trainer Peter Hunter.
Hunter says Rakarover’s return to racing has been difficult.
“He had to come back straight into the Country Cups grade. They’re nice horses so you just don’t turn up and win again. Once he got down below the 60 rating in a grade, where he could show a bit of muscle, he was competitive. His last two races have been quite nice. I thought his run at Wyndham for seventh was pretty good. He ran a similar time to the winner.”
Today, in his fourth race back from injury, Rakarover, owned by Brendon Fahy, stayed out of the early rush.
“I knew he didn’t have gate speed. I knew Vin Scully would have a bit more punch out of the gate.”
Hunter placed him early in the one one behind favourite Mighty Flying Art before that horse went to the lead leaving him parked. Cover arrived soon after when Ultimate Rocker came round to sit parked with a lap to run.
“I was pretty pleased to get cover with a round to go. The back straight was pretty hard going.”
With 500 metres to run Hunter hooked the five year old American Ideal gelding out and made his challenge down the middle of the track, letting down nicely to beat a game Mighty Flying Art by half a length.
“The second horse (Mighty Flying Art) went pretty good. He worked pretty hard.”
Sharing the story with Clerk of the Course Sally McKay – Photo Bruce Stewart.
Hunter and his wife Jo are enjoying a good season with eight wins on the board and a handy team of race horses in the stable.
“I guess I’m lucky to have owners that have owned the old brigade and have hung round and used the handicap system. Horses like Ansett Flight, My Georgie Boy and Bold Ruler. They’re handy horses and the handicap system has helped them stay in Southland. I’m lucky in that way and the horses are a year old and probably going better.”
Hunter also has some nice young stock coming through including a half-sister to Rakarover named Rakastella which qualified at Ascot Park last month. She’s a two year old filly by Art Major.
“A nice filly. We’ll probably have a go at the two year old fillies’ races. She’s strong and ran a two minute mile rate when she qualified which was pretty good considering what she had done (in preparation). She’s got a wee bit of natural ability.”
Meanwhile Hunter’s drive in the Fasttrack Insurance Nugget Final on Prince Abbey didn’t get any luck, having to sit parked in windy conditions.
He ended up running fifth behind winner Sounds Bettor which is trained by Geoff and Jude Knight at Roxburgh.
Sounds Bettor (3) winning for Matty Williamson – Photo Bruce Stewart.
The win was just reward for the Bettor’s Delight mare which had finished in a stake earning position in eleven of her fourteen starts this season.
She’s raced by The Central Courage Syndicate. One of the syndicate members Bill Bain also owned the second horse Bunter’s Dream.