Andrew Carston had a big team in on the second day of the Grand National Carnival at Riccarton and left with a smile after bringing up a trifecta in one race and a quinella in another.
Lippy, winner of the Nautical Insurance Grand National Amateur Championship. Photo: Riccarton Park Facebook
First to salute was Bad Flamingo with Amber Riddell aboard in the Nautical Insurance Grand National Amateur Championship (2200m) leading home stablemates Take That and Dame County.
Runner-up a fortnight ago at the same track and distance, Bad Flamingo was keen out of the gates for Riddell and swept round the field to take the lead early on. He was challenged midrace but with ears pricked he continued to put lengths on the field and ended up skipping away to win by four lengths.
Carston was thrilled with the result and pleased he could support the amateur riders race.
“I thought Bad Flamingo was really good,” he said. “He did a bit of work and kicked on. All three of them in that race ran well.
“I think it is important to be able to support those amateur riders. They do a lot of the hard yards behind the scenes so it’s good to support the races.
“Bad Flamingo is the only horse we have kept from the estate of Nigel Babbage so it was a pleasing result and he looks like he is turning into a promising stayer.
“That was my first ever trifecta so that was good.”
Later on the card the Waikato Stud bred and raced Lippy was back in the winner’s circle after taking out the Racecourse Hotel and Motor Lodge R65 (1600m).
Ridden by Joe Doyle the four-year-old son of Tivaci was caught wide early before Doyle managed to slot him in one off the fence in midfield.
They were on the move 500 metres from home and Lippy produced a sustained finish to claim the thick end of the stake ahead of stablemate The Arctic Blast.
“Lippy was a super result,” Carston said. “He is the first horse I have had for Waikato Stud and he hasn’t had a lot of luck in his runs leading up to this. His form probably doesn’t suggest how good he has been going.
“The Arctic Blast was good stepping up from maiden grade. I think we will have a bit of fun with him.
“Overall it was a good day, we had a big team in and most went near enough.”
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