Town Cryer is presented with an ideal opportunity to open her middle-distance account when she takes aim at the Taupo Cup (2000m) on Saturday.
The multiple stakes-winning daughter of Tavistock has been lightly tried beyond 1600m and trainer Roydon Bergerson is looking forward to this weekend’s challenge, despite his charge giving weight to the rest of the field.
“I’ve always wanted to get her back up over ground, she went a really good race in the Warstep Stakes (Listed, 2000m) as a three-year-old,” he said.
“Billy Pinn rode her and she went out by about 12 lengths, he couldn’t stop her and she still ran fourth behind Atishu.
“I’m really looking forward to getting her to 2000m this time in, she is a lot stronger and is an easier horse to train.
“We’ve looked after her and always thought she needed time. She’s got the strength now and she is handling her racing a lot better.”
Town Cryer has only had four others runs beyond 1600m and has placed over 2100m and finished a solid sixth in the Group 2 Travis Stakes (2000m) earlier this year.
Her pedigree also gives confidence in her ability to handle longer assignments as she is out of the Volksraad mare The Speaker, who was successful up to 2100m and ran third in an edition of the Warstep.
The Speaker is a three-quarter sister to Willy Smith, who won the Wellington Cup (3200m) when it had Group One status.
Town Cryer will have to shoulder 60kg on Saturday, but the six-year-old will have the services of champion jockey Opie Bosson.
“I’m really happy with her and I know she’s got a lot of weight, but she deserves it,” Bergerson said.
“Some of the others are claiming, which doesn’t help much.
“There looks a lot of speed in the race, so I’ll just leave it up to Opie, there’s no-one better.”
Town Cryer has victories in the Group 3 Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and Listed Anzac Mile (1600m) to her credit, but her chances of a fair crack at higher honours in the Group 1 TAB Classic (1600m) were scuppered when she finished seventh following a false start.
“That debacle at Trentham was just so disappointing, she jumped in the first race and in the second one she was a bit straggly away,” Bergerson said.
“He (Johnathan Parkes) had to use her up a bit and she still stuck on. She was really brave in the end and I was proud of her.”