Veteran New Zealand galloper No Loitering defied Father Time to produce a superb front-running effort as he led throughout in Saturday's ITM Interprovincial Championship (1800m) at New Plymouth.
The Iain Marks-trained ten-year-old had hinted he was ready to strike at short notice after finishing third over 2200m at his most recent start.
Returning to a track where he had only finished out of the top three in two of his seven starts, the son of No Excuse Needed was taken straight to the lead by rider Kelsey Hannan who made good use of her 3kg apprentice claim as the pair dominated proceedings from the front.
No Loitering was travelling well on the home bend and had his rivals under pressure as he shot clear with 250m to run. Despite weakening in the final few strides the veteran had done enough as he outlasted Cetus and the fast-finishing race favourite Justaskme (+370) to take victory.
Marks had been encouraged by the recent form of his charge who was having his fourth run in four weeks but hadn't shown any ill effects from the schedule.
“The last couple of runs he had been sticking on really well and last time he just got run down,” Marks said.
“I knew it was a big ask for him as it was his fourth run in as many weeks but he had been coming through them so well that I thought I'd line him up again.
“He really likes the track and had won in similar fashion in a lower grade back in July.
“He just kept running that day and it was wonderful to see him do the same again today.”
Marks will now give No Loitering a brief let up before targeting the South Taranaki Egmont Cup (2100m) on his home track at Hawera on October 8.
“He just seems to carry on and he likes to be in work and nothing bothers him,” he said.
“When we put him out, he walks his paddock at home so we just keep him going.
“He will have a day or two off now and then I like the look of the Egmont Cup next month as his next run.”
The win continued a purple patch of form for 19-year-old Hannan who currently sits fourth on the National jockeys' premiership with 13 wins for the season in just her second year of race riding.
Raced by Marks and his partner Betty Davies along with breeder Chris Thompson, No Loitering has now won ten of his 83 starts and over NZD$244,000 in prizemoney.
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