Four-year-old mare Lone Spirit appears to have figured out her job.
The Andrew Carston-trained four-year-old followed up her maiden win at Ashburton two weeks ago with a win in the Rating 65 Desert Lightning TAB Classic 2023 (1400m) at the same venue on Sunday.
Lone Spirit was quick away from barrier eight with Kylie Williams on board, she gained the lead around the 600-metre mark and held it until the 100 metres where Rubicon Reins took the lead, however Lone Spirit was brave coming back to win by a nose.
The win was made extra special for Carston as it was Williams’s 100th winner at Ashburton.
“It was another good positive ride by Kylie and it was special to provide her with her 100th win at Ashburton, we've had a great association,” he said.
While blitzing through the ratings is impressive it’s Carston explained that it is somewhat of a blessing and a curse.
“Very few horses win a maiden and then a Rating 65 straight away, so it was a good effort," he said.
“It’s always good to get a win but it’s going to be hard for her now.
“I do think she has more wins in her though it’s just a bit tricky to place her now, so we’ll have to have a think about where we’re going to go next.
"We’ll just see how she comes through this, and we might find a race for her at Riccarton during Cup Week, or we might just wait a bit, she does love Ashburton.”
Lone Spirit was bred and is raced by Northland-based couple Ray and Ann Cattle under their Anray Holdings banner, and Carston said they’ve been very patient with her.
“She’s a mare that’s taken a bit of time and she hasn’t been an easy horse to deal with but she’s put it all together and she’s on the right track now.
“She spends a lot of time out at Nayton Mitchell’s property and she’s just thriving with the change of scenery and variety of work she gets there, she loves it."
Lone Spirit is by former Windsor Park Stud-based sire Charm Spirit out of the High Chaparral mare Onmyown, from the family of stakes winners Myself, Single and Feel Glorious.
A full brother to Lone Spirit is being offered at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale next month as Lot 97 and he breezed up in 10.56.
Carston was looking forward to New Zealand Cup Week where he’ll have a few runners including promising two-year-old filly Miss Ziggy and handy gelding Jon Ol Rocco.
“It’s the big week of the year and it’s always great to get a winner during Cup Week. We don’t have any in the big races but we do have some nice chances,” he said.
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