Sir Slick Wins Third Awapuni Gold Cup

Sunday, 04 April 2010 01:20

New Zealand’s war horse Sir Slick, who almost died on Christmas day of rat poison, was given a heroes reception when he bounced back to his best to win his third Awapuni Gold Cup yesterday.

Trainer and co-owner Graeme Nicholson recalled in his victory speech how he found Sir Slick struck down by a mystery illness and how it was later revealed that someone had mixed rat poison in his feed.

Nicholson said if it wasn’t for Te Aroha vet, Graeme Waugh, who spent four hours working tirelessly on Sir Slick, the horse probably would have died.

“He got the horse right again and then unfortunately died himself of a heart attack last week,” Nicholson said.

“He has only 52 and his funeral is in Te Aroha next Tuesday and I’ll be parading Sir Slick there,” he added.

Sir Slick was having his 117th start yesterday and chalked up his 22nd win.

He was contesting the Awapuni Gold Cup for the fourth year in succession, following wins in 2007 and 2008 and a second behind MacO’Reilly last year.

“Slick and I love this place,” an emotional Nicholson said.

Matamata apprentice Samantha Collett renewed her association with Sir Slick yesterday and the win was her biggest to date.

“I’ve won the Group 3 Tauranga Stakes on him and been placed in a lot of other group races but this is my best win,” a happy Collett said.

She had Sir Slick in the lead in the early stages of the 2000-metre race but was content to let him settle in the trail when Robert Hannam was keen to lead on Borrack.

“As soon as I got to the 600 I just clicked him up and he took the lead again and kicked away,” Collett said.

Sir Slick had 1-3/4 lengths on his rivals at the finish, with Manonamission running on well to fill second ahead of Red Ruler and Vosne Romanee.

Red Ruler’s rider Mark Du Plessis said the horse would probably improve from the run, just his second one back after a break, while Vosne Romanee's rider Opie Bosson said the horse felt okay but couldn’t produce the necessary sprint in the straight.

“He took a while to wind up and was just grinding to the line,” Bosson said.

Vosne Romanee is booked on a flight to Sydney later this month where he will contest the Group 1 $A350,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 24.

Meanwhile, Nicholson also had reason to celebrate with the six length victory of Time Keeper in Saturday's Group 3 $70,000 Oaks Stud Manawatu Classic.

The Stravinsky colt holds a nomination for next Saturday’s Group 1 AJC Derby in Sydney but co-trainer Graeme Nicholson said that race may come up a bit too soon.

“It’s only a week away and there is that much pressure on to try and get there,” Nicholson said.

“I’d like to take him to Queensland for the Queensland Derby and I might put him in the Easter Handicap too.”

The $200,000 Easter Handicap (1600m) is run at Ellerslie next Saturday week and Nicholson would like to have both Time Keeper and his old warhorse Sir Slick in the Group 1 event.