12 October 2009
Pukekohe trainer Richard Yuill has up-and-coming three-year-old Nearly Stolen (Align x Miss Sandford) entered for a tilt at the Group 1 New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas at Riccarton on November 3 after his game winning performance at Te Rapa on October 2.
Top jockey Sam Spratt said Nearly Stolen had to be well above average to register the win after overcoming all sorts of difficulties during the running.
“Quite a few things went wrong for him but he was simply good enough to overcome these,” said Spratt. “He gave me the feel that 1600m will be even more ideal for him as he stretched out well at the finish of the race. He is still green and will only improve a lot with more racing.”
The son of Align only scored by a nose in the GR Cleaning Services 1400 for maiden three-year-olds at odds of 10-to-one.
However, the performance was full of merit considering that the bay gelding knocked into November Rain when jumping away from the barrier. Then approximately 100m after the start Spratt had to steady her mount when he was crowded for room by Al Afzal who was inclined to lay in. Then Nearly Stolen was forced to race wide around the home bend.
“All of these things were out of my control and showed that he still has a lot to learn but the fact he still won showed he is a good horse,” Spratt said.
It was Nearly Stolen’s third race-day outing after he had finished third in his first two appearances at Avondale and Te Rapa respectively.
Nearly Stolen is raced by former Waikato Racing Club president and life member Herbie Dyke and current club president Dennis Sexton in partnership with Richard Yuill.
Nearly Stolen was bred by Dyke, one of New Zealand’s most successful racehorse owners, in partnership with Hamilton-based Highview Stud.
Nearly Stolen is from the same family as Singapore’s champion older sprinter of 2008, Waikato (14 wins including 3 Listed races).
