Riccarton-based trainer Andrew Carston has fashioned a great record of winning Pearl Series bonuses and he picked up another one at Timaru on Saturday with Major Ish Choux.
“The whole idea of having them paid up for the series is to try and win them and I’ve had a good run of setting horses for them and getting the cheque,” Carston said.
Major Ish Choux collected a $11,500 bonus for her owners, the Go Racing The Choux Fits Syndicate, managed by Albert Bosma, on top of her winning stake of $6,250 when winning the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1600m) at Phar Lap Racecourse.
Ridden by Chris Johnson the four-year-old mare was aided by a beautiful ride by Chris Johnson who settled her five back on the rail where she stayed until a gap opened at the 250m mark and she flew home to win by a nose over the Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained Gloss, with another Carston-trained runner, Madam Swiss taking third prize.
“It was a sensational ride from Chris Johnson he never went around another horse,” Carston said.
“She’d been unlucky her last three runs and she deserved to get another win and having Chris Johnson stick with her definitely helped.”
Major Ish Choux is one of eight runners Carston has in training for Go Racing, who have been great supporters of the young trainer.
“When I started training in my own right after running Lisa Latta’s South Island stable I inherited a few of her horses and a couple of them were Go Racing owned,” Carston said.
“I was lucky enough that Matt and Albert decided to give me a chance and it’s gone on from there but I didn’t know them at all before that.
“They bought Major Ish Choux for me because she was by Jimmy Choux and at the time I had What Choux Want and she was going very well so that helped them to syndicate her.
“It’s a great team to be a part of and their syndicates are a brilliant way for people to get involved in owning a racehorse.”
Carston is keeping a close eye on the recovery of both Major Ish Choux and Madam Swiss before he decides when they next run.
“We will see how they recover before we make any plans, unfortunately it was a very firm track.”
For more info on how to get involved with a Go Racing syndicate visit: www.goracing.co.nz.