Photo: Race Images, Kenton Wright
Cambridge trainer Ben Foote is looking forward to heading to Hastings this weekend where he is hoping Sakura Blossom can extend her faultless form line in the Remember “Jooky” 1200.
While the four-year-old mare has yet to taste defeat, Foote said she still has plenty of maturing to do after racing greenly on debut on the Cambridge Synthetic earlier this month, where class saw her through.
“It didn’t really go to plan on debut,” Foote said. “I don’t think you have seen anywhere near the best of her. A bit more experience and she will show what she really is.
“She is a bit of a work in progress but she has got some talent.”
With the exception of a trial at Avondale last year, Sakura Blossom hasn’t ventured far from Waikato but Foote doesn’t believe the 10-hour round float trip to Hastings will bother her this weekend.
“I don’t think it will affect her too much,” he said. “She walks about 550 kilos, she is a big mare. She has got a couple of annoying traits, but I don’t think too much will worry her.”
Foote has been pleased with her work in the lead-up and believing she is a Group-level horse he said he is just wanting to increase her rating over her coming few starts.
“She had a good hit-out on Saturday and made some of the fast ones look slow. I think we are on the right track,” he said.
“I just want to get her ratings points up because I think she is a Group horse. We just need to get her points up to get into those races.”
Sakura Blossom was pinhooked by Red Hare Bloodstock, purchased by Justin Wong for $90,000 out of Phoenix Park's Karaka 2019 Book 1 draft as a yearling and then on sold to Hong Kong's Upper Bloodstock, who race her now, for $150,000 at the 2019 NZB Ready To Run Sale. - NZ Racing Desk
Watch the replay of Sakura Blossom's debut win here.
