MINESHAFT SET FOR $350,000 RACE

A Maiden no longer, Mineshaft (4 g Merchant Navy – Ruby Queen, by Pentire) won the $25,000 Waikato/BOP Racehorse Owners Association Maiden 1600 metres on Saturday at Te Rapa.

Placed in all five starts prior and freshened since coming from last for third in the Maiden 2100 metres on 4 October at Tauranga, Mineshaft had placed in each of two course attempts to 1600 metres and rated a top three chance from barrier five.

With Kelly Myers replacing Niranjan Parmar, who stood down with dehydration, Mineshaft was kept handy to the pace when between runners in fifth and clear to challenge early in the straight he sustained his customary determined finish.

On footing that remained Good4, Mineshaft ran 1600 metres in 1:36.2, last 600m in 36.2 (approx.) and paid $8.20 & $2.20 on the NZ TAB tote.

The Racehorse Owners Association was represented by President Jill Lunn, Jenny Cowan, Anne Browne, and Stephen Lindsay, and Lunn presented co-trainer Pam Gerard with a glass pierced pitcher.

Gerard said: “Thank you to the Owners Association and it’s a pleasure to accept this beautiful trophy as part of their very generous initiative.

“He’d done well for being freshened, been faultless in his work leading into the race, obviously has a liking for the course, and the win qualifies him for a big race.”

Mineshaft will now be prepared for the $350,000 Remutaka Classic (Special Conditions, 2100m) on Wellington Cup Day (20 Jan.) at Trentham.

“It was a really good ride by Kelly (Myers) and great to have her back,” Gerard added. “She’s got so much experience and probably one of the fittest ones out there even though not longed returned to riding.”

Owned by Craig McKay and Ballymore Stables, selected by Paul Moroney Bloodstock and purchased for $55,000 at the 2021 Karaka Book 1 Sale, from the draft of Blandford Lodge, Mineshaft is by fast son of Champion Sire Fastnet Rock (Danehill), Merchant Navy.

A triple Group One winner over 1200 metres (twice in Aust., and Royal Ascot) in career of seven wins from 10 starts, Coolmore shuttle stallion Merchant Navy commenced stud duties in 2018 and his oldest progeny are four-year-olds.

Although by a sprinter, Mineshaft has shown a propensity for longer trips, aided by his low head carriage and action, while stamina on the dam side derives from versatile stallion Pentire (Be My Guest), who sired a Railway (Gr. 1, 1200m) winner and Melbourne Cup winner (Gr. 1, 3200m), along with Champion Sire Zabeel (Sir Tristram), a noted staying influence, being the sire of impressive winning grand-dam Zabeels Angel.

Mineshaft was strapped by Rathore Singh.