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| Staff Writer |
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Michael and his brother Matthew cannot wait for their favourite week of the year: the New Zealand Cup carnival in Riccarton.
There will be a large contingent representing the father-and-son training team on the first day of the carnival, with 17 of their runners expected to wear their silks.
“It’s a great week, I am really looking forward to it,” Michael Pitman said.
Okay Pal and My World will give the top South Island trainers a two-pronged effort in the Listed Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes. Last month, My World finished second to Live Drama in the Stewards Handicap Trial, and this weekend, Okay Pal will make his seasonal debut before returning to action in the Gr.3 Lindauer Stewards Stakes, a race in which he finished fourth last year.
“Okay Pal has always raced well at the meeting. He hasn’t had a trial but that is the way we do things, and we are happy with him,” Pitman said.
“He will back-up in the Stewards.I wasn’t going to run My World but decided he needed to have a solid go if he is getting ready for the 1400m race on the last day. You might as well be galloping in a smallish field for $80,000 than just doing it on a track for nothing,” Pitman added.
Pitman is more optimistic than sure about his Vespa gelding Charbano's chances in Saturday's Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas.
“He has gone near enough in his last couple of races, but he hasn’t quite had the rub if the green. I left it up to the owners and they decided to press ahead,” he said.
Pitman is sure that his stable of five runners in the NZB Ready To Run Sale Trainers Series will collect a winning check despite the horde of other runners on the day.
“The maidens that we have got in are all nice horses. They have all got raceday or trial form,” Pitman said.
“Probably the best of them is Express Coup, but unfortunately she has drawn 17. But it is a $30,000 1200m maiden, so we won’t be scratching her, but it is not ideal.”
Of his other runners, Pitman believes Ceddy Smith and Golden Harvest are good chances in the One Good Horse At Avonhead Tavern Premier (1200m) and Garrards Horse & Hound Premier .
“We did give consideration to running Golden Harvest in the Pegasus as well, but we decided to run him in the 75 1100m instead,” Pitman said. “And Ceddy Smith has come up really well.”