3 minute read

Versatile galloper Absolut Excelencia is in the right condition to claim his second Reefton Cup on Thursday.

The Excellent Art gelding will be lining up for his fourth crack at the Ken & Mary Gray-sponsored event, having won the race in 2015 after a runner-up finish the previous year and he ran fifth 12 months ago.

“He’s going as good as he ever has,” said Kenny Rae, who trains Absolut Excelencia with his wife Lisa and their daughter Krystal Williams-Tuhoro. “He’s come back even better as a seven-year-old.”

The weights will also favour Absolut Excelencia, who will drop to 57kg after placing under 60kg in both of his starts this preparation.

“I reckon he’s thrown in,” Rae said. “He’s quite a big horse and you wouldn’t think he would get around Reefton, but he loves it.”

After Thursday, Absolut Excelencia is likely to make his next appearance in the Kumara Gold Nuggets on Saturday week.

“We might look at the Dunedin Gold Cup after that and then he’s going to be a jumper,” Rae said.

“I’ve ridden him myself and he doesn’t hesitate – he just seems to love it.”

Rae also has Indy Evolution, who won on debut at Ashburton, in the Reefton Crane & Construction Rating 65.

“She’d only showed a wee bit at the trials so she surprised me the other day and she’s improved again,” Rae said.

He is also hoping for a better run from Cielito Lindo in the Fazey Contracting/Vernon & Vazey Maiden, but is never sure what to expect from Kolaman, who steps out in the Kevin Doolan Memorial.

“He’s an enigma – he runs well in good fields and badly in poor races,” Rae said.