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Mike McCann‘s insistence on a local rider for his mare Red Dirt Girl proved a wise move when they combined for an upset result in the feature dash on the opening day of the New Zealand Cup carnival.
The Riccarton trainer was forced to look for a replacement jockey for Saturday’s Listed Yesberg Insurance Services Pegasus Stakes and he never had any intention of looking outside the square.
“I feel sorry for Shankar, but he couldn’t do the weight and there was no way I was going to move out of the South Island as far as riders were concerned,” McCann said.His loyalty is to be commended as Shankar Muniandy had partnered Red Dirt Girl in her 10 previous appearances, but he was unable to make 53kg and so Riccarton apprentice Doni Prastiyou got the nod.
“It was a blessing in disguise when they got skittled at the start,” McCann said. “It was the making of the race for her.”His preference was for Red Dirt Girl to settle off the pace, but her early gate speed has often seen her jump and run and be a sitting duck in the closing stages.
Trouble at barrier rise saw the Align mare well back in the field as the raging favourite Il Cavallo made the pace.He looked set for a winning New Zealand debut when he held a clear lead 200 metres from home, but he was unable to hold out the fast-finishing Red Dirt Girl, who was at odds of 43-1.
Miss Seton Sands took third money ahead of Salamanca and Shelford with all the minor placegetters enhancing their prospects for Wednesday’s Gr.3 Lindauer Stewards’ Stakes.Red Dirt Girl, who won’t back up on the second day, won her first two races for Te Rapa trainer Kristine Stead and has since added a further six victories since joining McCann’s stable.