Racing
League
Rugby
Cricket
Golf
Motorsport
Combat Sports
Football
Netball
Basketball
Other Sports
Sport Nation
đ» How to tune into Sport Nation
Team Tyler set to go the distance
Paul Vettise, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk ⹠ November 27th, 2025 12:00 pm
Vamos will contest the White Robe Lodge & Auripo Enterprises Memorial Cup (2030m) at Cromwell on Friday. Photo: Race Images South
Kelvin Tyler will be well represented over two days at Cromwell with a particularly strong hands in the main staying events.
The Riverton trainerâs team at the Central Otago meeting on Friday will be headed by White Robe Lodge & Auripo Enterprises Memorial Cup (2030m) contenders King Of The Castle and Vamos.
The latter is also likely to run at the Otago Racing Clubâs fixture on Sunday in the Happy Hire Cromwell Cup (2030m) along with stablemate Master Marko.
Tyler will also be keeping an eye on Otaki where Freddie Time steps out in the Kapiti Valuations Handicap (2100m) after performing with credit in recent sprint outings.
âHe had a nice gallop on Wednesday morning, so the camp up there is pretty happy, heâs been screaming out for more ground, so heâll get his chance,â he said.
On the opening day at Cromwell, Tyler had a slight leaning toward King Of The Castle, who will move back in trip off the back of a fifth in the Winton Cup (1400m).
âHe comes in pretty well at the weights, heâs the class horse of the field and I think heâll take a bit of beating,â Tyler said.
âHe obviously had that fall at Riccarton two runs back and before that his three races prior were all good.
âHe got stuck on the fence last time when fifth, he couldnât get out with some lower grade horses coming back on him and couldnât get out.â
However, he is also expecting Vamos to be competitive off the back of an impressive runs of form.
The six-year-old won two on the bounce at Riccarton and Gore before runner-up finishes at Ascot Park and his home track at Riverton.
âHeâs got a bit of weight to lug around, but I canât fault him really,â Tyler said.
âHeâs certainly been going well, heâs flying and thereâs not much between the two of them.â
Of his other runners on Friday, Tyler tipped the Ardrossan mare Indie Ardie to go close to an overdue breakthrough in the Peter Lyon Shearing & Breen Construction Maiden (2030m).
âIâm still surprised she hasnât won a race yet and sheâll really like going up in trip, so sheâll take some beating if she gets her fair share of luck,â he said.
All going well, Tyler plans to send Vamos back into action on Sunday and believes heâs the ideal type to handle the back-up.
âThatâs the plan, heâs a big, strong fellow now. Heâs a pretty tough horse so I canât see so I canât see why he wonât as long as he pulls up well and thereâs a bit of juice in the track,â he said.
Barnmate Master Marko finished a solid fifth in the Listed Spring Classic (2000m) before he was successful at Riverton and last time out ran fourth in an open handicap back at Riccarton.
âHe will take some beating as well, heâs the perfect horse to be honest,â Tyler said.
âEvery day is the same with him, he eats, sleeps and works well and comes in the at the weights nicely.â
