Danroad gelding Down The Road provided one of the most exciting finishes to a New Zealand Derby on Sunday (1 March 09) going down by the narrowest of margins to Australian raider, Coniston Blue.
With half a length on Coniston Blue in the home straight, Down the Road looked to have the $2.2 million Derby in the bag, but the Australian horse fought back strongly.
Coming from well back in the field, Down the Road kept trying to the line only to be beaten by a nose.
Trainer Ken Kelso said the horse was “there to win”.
Getting knocked earlier in the race may not have helped his chances Kelso said but “you have to be proud of him”.
Torrential rain on Saturday, caused the postponement of the race till Sunday. Kelso said a lot of people had labeled Down the Road a wet-tracker after his win in the Championship Stakes in February but “he won at Hawkes Bay on a hard and fast track and he just seems to cope with all conditions”.
“He has been racing right through, before and around Christmas and he has never looked like jarring up.”
Describing Down the Road as a tough horse, Kelso says he is an excellent doer and pulled up well after the race. Plans for his future racing are still to be decided.
Out of the Stark South mare, Dixie’s Girl, bred by M S McClennan, the Danroad gelding has raced nine times and been out of the money only once. His earnings now stand at $492,928.
Danroad is also sire of Group 1 TJ Smith Classic winner Rockdale (Komplete Kaos), Group placed Outtalimitz (Peripherique) and stakes-placed Amazing Sky. He now stands in second place on the Second Season Sire list to Australian based Lucky Owners, sire of Karaka Magic Millions winner, The Heckler.
