With less than a month to go in the 2023/2024 racing season Andrew Carston’s stable is showing no signs of slowing down, continuing to add to the tally of winners.
Carston had a strong team heading into Friday’s meeting on the Riccarton synthetic track and concluded the card with a winner and three placings, including a one-two finish in the Grand National Tickets On Sale R65 (1600m).
Four-year-old gelding Tough Time came into the race with patchy form but showed plenty of grit to pick up his second win of his career.
Ridden by Kozzi Asano, the son of Shamexpress jumped smartly and took the lead setting a strong pace.
He was untroubled for the majority of the mile contest through was challenged on the straight by stablemate Bad Flamingo and Michael and Matthew Pitman’s Koputaroa.
Despite being headed by Bad Flamingo, Tough Time fought back to get his nose in front and win by half a length.
“It is good to have Tough Time back in the winner’s circle,” Carston said. “Tough Time was a nice three-year-old that didn’t come up last preparation so it is great to have him going well again for his owner Barry Thomas who hasn’t been in the best of health lately.
“We’ll probably wait for the synthetic track to run him again at the national meeting.
“Bad Flamingo was good too and will definitely improve with that run under his belt.”
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