Plans to put Ginner Hart’s formidable first-up record to a Group One test have taken a major setback.
Wanganui part-owner and trainer Alexander Fieldes had high hopes of the Volksraad gelding cutting loose in the Makfi Challenge Stakes until the updated order of entry was released.
“He’s won fresh-up at Hastings for the last three years and we’ve set him for the Makfi, but looking at the entries there’s 15 rated at 100 or more and he’s on 97,” Fieldes said.
“That was the race we were aiming him at, but he’s the 34th best sprinter in the country so we’re in dire straits – we’re a million to one.”
Fieldes will revert to Plan B and now head toward the open sprint on the second day of the carnival and a race Ginner Hart has claimed for the last two years with regular rider Noel Harris in the saddle.
“Noel said get his feet right and he can win anything,” Fieldes said. “We’ll just have to sit back and wait now.”
The rising six-year-old, the winner of six of his 20 starts, won’t be following a path of previous years and travelling south to the cup carnival at Christchurch for the Gr.3 Stewards’ Stakes.
“He won’t be going to Riccarton this year, the hard tracks really get to him,” Fieldes said.
Silent Achiever, with a rating of 113, heads the Makfi order of entry from Veyron on 110, Viadana on 108 and Nashville, Shuka and I Do all rated 106.
Meanwhile, Ginner Hart’s promising stablemate Buck Cannon is also likely to put in an appearance during the Hawke’s Bay carnival.
“He’s had a good rest and been back in work for three months, the same as Ginner,” Fieldes said.
“He might go to Hastings on the middle or last day. He’s going well and is a slow maturing staying horse.”
Buck Cannon, raced by Fieldes with Christopher and Susanna Grace, is an aptly-named son of High Chaparral who has placed once from three appearances.
