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Taking Trigon Lad to New Plymouth on Friday was something of an afterthought for Pukekohe trainer Michael Rogers, but that back-up plan produced a welcome return to the winners’ circle in the Landmark City of New Plymouth Cup (1600m).
Trigon Lad has been an accomplished performer for his breeders Duncan Equine Partnership, who share ownership of the nine-year-old with Rogers. Now in his sixth season of racing, the Towkay gelding has had 74 starts for five wins, nine seconds, five thirds and $186,054 in stakes.
There have been numerous highlights along the way, including victory in a $65,000 Rating 65 at Te Rapa on New Year's Day in 2023. He also ran second in a $50,000 Rating 65 on Auckland Cup Day at Ellerslie in March of 2021, beaten by a long head by subsequent black-type performer Rapid Falls, and was runner-up behind Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Asterix in a 1600m open handicap at Tauranga in January of last year.
It has been slimmer pickings in more recent times, with Trigon Lad heading into the City of New Plymouth Cup on a 24-race winless streak that would have ticked over to two years on New Year's Day. But his connections never lost faith, and on Friday they were rewarded with a relentless front-running performance.
Trigon Lad was the $12 outsider among a seven-horse field for the City of New Plymouth Cup, but got in nicely at the weights with Jim Chung's 2kg claim dropping him down to 56kg. He went straight to the lead and dictated terms, setting only a steady tempo throughout the $30,000 race.
Knights Realm drew up alongside him coming up to the home turn and seemingly had him covered, clearly hitting the lead at the top of the straight. But Trigon Lad lifted again, clawing his way back level with Knights Realm and getting back in front to win by a long neck.
"That was a really good, tough win," Rogers said. "He may not have won a race for a couple of years, but he's never been far away. He's always thereabouts and just needed a bit of luck to go his way, which finally happened today.
"My plan was originally to take him to Taupo on Monday, but he didn't look like making the field for the Taupo Cup (2000m). So we switched to New Plymouth as a back-up plan. Coming away with a win today is a big thrill.
"We'll get him home now and then have a bit of a look around to see what other suitable races might be around for him."