Melody Roxx (centre) flies home to win at Reefton on Wednesday, photo: Trackside
New Plymouth-based trainer Sandy Dravitzki’s decision to send Melody Roxx down south to join Andrew Carston’s stable paid off with a tough win in the Go Racing Buying @ Magic Millions This Month (1020m) at Reefton on Wednesday.
Dravitzki, who she shares in the ownership of with the Up Spirits Syndicate No.2, had won one race with the six-year-old daughter of Swiss Ace, and felt she would be better placed in the South Island so she enlisted the services of Riccarton-based Carston.
“It was a good result for Sandy and all the connections,” Carston said.
“She just rung up one day and said she thought she would be better placed down here.
“As it turns out she’s taken a couple of runs to get fit and for me to learn more about her but she’s going pretty good races and has been building to a win for a while.
Jumping from Barrier five, apprentice jockey Sanu Toolooa had the chestnut mare three-wide without cover throughout the 1020m race, which earned praise from Carston.
“I told him to be positive and to keep kicking and he did exactly what I asked so I was very happy with the ride,” he said.
Formerly with Kevin Hughes, Toolooa has been apprenticed to Carston since October and this was his first winner for his new boss.
“I took over Kevin Hughes’s stable in October and he came with the stable, so it was great to get our first win together.
Melody Roxx is set to run again on Saturday at Kumara.
“She’s a very fast filly and I hope she’ll train on,” Carston said. “She’s got a win on the board now and hopefully she’ll run well again.”
Carston said he has a nice team going around on Saturday in the final meeting of the West Coast circuit.