Bonus beckons NZ Cup winner

Surprise staying star Jimmy Mac will have one lead-up race to prime him for a potentially massive pay day at Trentham next month.

The lightly-raced seven-year-old enjoyed a two week break after his Riccarton exploits and his trainer and part-owner Gene Andrew has now confirmed the path to the Gr.2 Wallaceville Estate Wellington Cup on January 23.

“I’ll give him an exhibition gallop at Awapuni on Boxing Day and then he’ll go to the Marton Cup and two weeks later on to Trentham,” he said.

The Gr.3 New Zealand Cup winner will earn his connections a $250,000 bonus if he can add the Wellington Cup to his record with $1 million on offer if he can complete a clean sweep in the Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup.

Jimmy Mac’s rapid rise through the staying ranks – he began his season by beating a Rating 75 line-up at Hastings – has pleasantly surprised Andrew.

“Six starts back he was running around for eight grand at Tauherenikau,” he said.

“I can only put it down to maturity and having Lisa Allpress riding him has been a big help, she just gets on so well with him.”

Andrew also has Jimmy Mac’s three-year-old brother Dezzy Mac, who is unraced and currently in the paddock.

“He had a trial at Otaki when I was down south and he went out for a spell after that,” he said. “He can have a decent break to let him mature a bit more.

“He’s a totally different horse – he’s a chestnut with a white face and a smaller, short-coupled horse.”