Central District’s jockey Rosie Myers made sure her return trip north from Timaru would be a happy one when she combined with classy Canterbury galloper Emerald Queen to take out Sunday’s Listed “Thank You Couplands Bakeries” Timaru Cup.
Myers put aside a frustrating run of minor placings earlier in the day to snare the main prize with a cool display as she brought the five-year-old daughter of O’Reilly from last on the home corner to power past Captain Todd and My Chino in the closing stages and record a smart 1.36.07 for the 1600 metre journey on a surface rated a dead 5.
Emerald Queen turned around an indifferent form line to register her 7th career win from just 27 starts, and her third at Listed level in the familiar colours of popular part-owner, Kevin Hickman.Co-trainer Anna Furlong who prepares the mare with Shane Kennedy at Riccarton was delighted with the ride and pleased to see her charge back in winning form.
“That’s more like it as Rosie rode her an absolute treat and she showed her true class today,” she said.“She is probably best ridden back like that where she can come at them with one run.
“Although she was back a little further than we would have liked Rosie knew what she was doing and in the end she did it quite comfortably.”The mare’s return to form will see Kennedy and Furlong aim her at further stakes targets with the Gr. 3 White Robe Lodge Handicap featuring prominently in their thinking.
