Trainer Neill Ridley has a strong hand in the Gavelhouse.com (1200m) at his home track of Riccarton on Friday. Ridley prepares the two top-weights of the open handicap field, He Kin Fly (60kg) and Prince Oz (58kg). “Both Prince Oz and He Kin Fly have been going pretty well, but this will be their last run for the season and then they'll be going out in the paddock,” Ridley said.
Former Hong Kong galloper He Kin Fly has been in perfect form, winning his last four consecutive races. The six-year-old gelding has flourished since joining Ridley's stable early last year, winning five races, including the Listed Timaru Stakes (1400m) and the Listed Great Easter Stakes (1400m) last start, and placing on a further four occasions. “Bruce and Maureen Harvey sent him down to me when he came back from Hong Kong,” Ridley said.
Initially trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman in New Zealand, He Kin Fly raced five times in Hong Kong as Big Flash, recording a win in Class 3 company for trainer Casper Fownes before returning to New Zealand. “I don't think he was suited by the harder tracks up there so when his connections retired him and were looking for a home we asked if we could take him and try him if he was sound and they agreed,” co-owner Bruce Harvey said. “We got him back, got him going and then sent him down to Neill. We thought the South Island tracks might suit him and that has proven correct as he has been going super ever since he went down there.”
He Kin Fly will be ridden by BB Hong on Friday, who claims 3kgs to offer some weight relief. Race rival Prince Oz has finished sixth and second behind his stablemate in his last two starts and Ridley is hopeful that he might be able to turn the tables on him over his pet distance of 1200m on this occasion.
The Ridley Stable will also be represented by Raff in the Join The Club – Membership Now Open Maiden (1600m) and Red Rose Warrior in the Riccarton Park Function Centre Rating 72 (1400m) at the final day of Canterbury Jockey Club's Autumn racing season. Both horses will have to overcome horror draws with Raff jumping from the outside barrier and Red Rose Warrior drawing 13 of 14.