Spencer seeking fairytale result in Opunake Cup

Group 3 winner Spencer was runner-up in the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) two years ago when ridden by Lisa Allpress, and he will reunite with the returning jockey in this year’s edition where the pair will aim to go one better on Saturday.

Allpress has spent most of the last two years on the sideline following two separate injuries, but she made the perfect return to raceday riding last Saturday when winning aboard the Kevin Myers-trained He’s Lucid at Hawera.

Trainers Peter and Shaun McKay are glad to have secured the veteran hoop’s services, with Peter McKay initially broaching the idea of Allpress returning to ride in the race when seeing her at Trentham earlier this month.

“I saw her down at Wellington and we were thinking of going there (Opunake Cup) so I dropped the idea and asked if she would be back in time,” Peter McKay said.

“She has won two or three races on the horse and with the split meeting (Ruakaka and New Plymouth) we were wondering who was going to be riding down there, so we thought it would be nice to have someone who knows the horse, albeit she was coming back off an injury. Lisa had already been riding at the trials and we knew her fitness would be as good as most, and now she has already had a winner.”

Spencer has had two lead-in runs to Saturday’s feature, including running fourth over 1200m at Trentham a fortnight ago on a Heavy10 track, a surface he will meet at New Plymouth this weekend.

“We are pretty happy with him, my only worry is the track and what it comes up, whether it is loose or sticky,” McKay said. “He has won on a Heavy before, but I think more on the loose side.”