Impressive Debut for NZ 3YO, Benji
Benji NZ winning comfortably on Tuesday at Bunbury. Photo: Photography by Jodie Hallows
Recent recruit to WA Benji NZ broke through for an impressive win at Bunbury on Wednesday for trainer Nathan Turvey.
Driven by Emily Suvaljko, punters were confident that the three-year-old could get the job done in race four, and at $1.85 odds, the short-priced favourite led from start to stop, claiming the win by 6.9m in a winning mile rate of 1:59:8 over the 2100m trip around Donaldson Park.
“Being on a low mark, we thought we had him fit enough to run a forward enough race.”
A last start winner at Winton NZ, he had just the eight starts before going on the market, where Turvey spotted him and purchased him earlier this year.
“I saw him advertised and had a weak moment. I thought he looked like he may suit the sand, he’s only a cheapie, so no plans, just keep up at this stage.”
Turvey aims to start the lightly raced gelding next Monday or Tuesday.
Team Bond walked away from Tuesday’s meeting with a training double, seeing Tiger By The Tail kick his maiden status in race two and short-priced favourite Noted making it two in a row, giving Ryan Warwick a driving and race-to-race double on the card.
The last on the card was all about the girls, with Tracy Reay getting the win with Go Widgie at huge odds ($61) and Make Your Mark and Shellna in second and third placing for local trainer Sarah Wall, bringing up a female training trifecta in race nine.
Ashleigh Paikos