Waikato Times Gold Cup duo on target for staying feature

The well-credentialed Melbourne returnee, Surpass, and progressive galloper, The Fire Inside (pictured), have looked right on song as they look to tackle the Group 2 Waikato Times Gold Cup over 2400m this Saturday at Te Rapa.

Surpass has been a strong campaigner over in Melbourne and Sydney since joining the Ballymore Australia team, and the son of Savabeel will be having his first start back in NZ since July of last year.

The winner of six races, and over A$200,000 in prize money, Surpass has settled into the Matamata based stable effortlessly and looks a strong candidate in Saturday’s feature event.

“He’s very well and he loves his work,” said co-trainer Chad Ormsby.

“He has raced competitively at Group and Listed level in Australia, so I think he can be right in the mix for Saturday.”

Stablemate, and another exciting prospect hitting her straps this season, is The Fire Inside who goes into the race after a dominant win at Tauranga before running a gallant second at Ellerslie last start.

“She was the only horse in the field not to have run over 2000m this preparation at her last outing, and it probably showed over the last 50m,” said Ormsby.

“She’s taken stacks of improvement from that run and we are really looking forward to getting a line on her against some of the more seasoned runners.”

The Fire Inside illustrated above average ability in her three-year-old season running third in the Group 2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic behind Hera and Spellbinder, before competing in both the NZ Oaks and Derby.

The Fire Inside will be ridden by Mark du Plessis, while Surpass will be ridden by Opie Bosson.