Case Study will make his debut at Riccarton on Saturday. Photo: Sam Gordon.
Andrew Carston’s Riccarton stable has posted four winners since racing resumed post COVID-19 lockdown in June and he will be out to add another to the tally on his home track on Saturday.
The most recent successes came the way of a Timaru double last Saturday when both Reliably Perky and Apellido won at the Phar Lap Raceway.
“Reliably Perky had no luck in her last prep for me,” Carston said. “I was really happy to get the win, I always thought she would get there, it just took a bit of time.”
Reliably Perky was coming off a last-start third placing and handled the Slow9 track with aplomb, racing away to clear maiden ranks with a 5 ½ length victory under stable apprentice Kozzi Asano.
Carston was equally impressed with Apellido’s win, the four-year-old gelding delivering in his second start for Carston since transferring south from the stable of Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.
“His owners thought he would be better suited to the South Island and they were right,” Carston said. “I thought he was pretty good in his first run for me and the improved track helped.”
Apellido, whose ownership group includes his breeders Mark and Sarah Devcich, jumped smartly and benefited from a positive ride from Kylie Williams to dictate the pace and win comfortably by 1 ¼ lengths.
Both Reliably Perky an Apellido will target the Ashburton meeting on August 1.
Carston has three runners nominated for Riccarton on Saturday and has earmarked Miss Oaks as his best of the day.
“I think she is very well placed in the Pearl Series race,” Carston said. “I have saved her up to run in this and think she will be well suited.”
Five-year-old gelding Middagurd will take his place in the Daphne Bannan Memorial R65 (1400m) with Carston expecting an improved performance from his last-start fifth at Timaru.
Carston is also looking forward to Case Study making his debut in the Barney Knudsen Dash (1000m). The two-year-old son of Showcasing is coming off two placed trial performances and Carston said he will improve with the outing.
“It is not the ideal race for Case Study but it is a good opportunity to gain some experience,” Carston said. “He will improve with the day out and he is one I am excited about for the future.”