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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
Tyler’s trio gearing up for Winter Cup
Jess de Lautour, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk • July 2nd, 2025 10:00 am
Albatross will contest Thursday’s Winter Cup Trial Gallagher Insurance (1400m) at Ashburton | Photo: Monica Toretto
The trio of talented wet-track gallopers include Albatross, Master Marko and King Of The Castle, who will all contest Thursday’s Winter Cup Trial Gallagher Insurance (1400m) at Ashburton.
The latter pair will resume off a short spell, while Albatross has made her presence felt in Canterbury recently, finishing a close-up second to race-rival Conor O’Ceirin in the Amberley Cup (1400m) ten days ago. The daughter of Sacred Falls returned to Tyler’s Riverton base after the race, and he couldn’t have been happier with her performance.
“I thought it was a great effort, she really had no excuse as the winner had quite a bit of weight to carry and beat us fair and square,” he said.
“She’s come through that really well, hopefully the track is nice and loose which she would appreciate, and I’d expect another good run really.
“Master Marko had about three weeks off after his last run, he’s come through the break well and he’ll have a good hit out before going to the Oamaru Cup and on to the Winter Cup.
“King Of The Castle is in the same boat.”
The Oamaru Cup meeting will be held on the 20th of July, with the Winter Cup held at Riccarton Park on August 2.
Alongside his topliners, Tyler has a strong contingent contesting the undercard races, including an in-form Vamos. The gelding had won two of his last three outings prior to racing at Riccarton, where he went down narrowly to Bella Luce over the mile distance.
“I think Amber (Riddell, jockey) was kicking herself because she’s ridden and won on him a few times, so she knows how he likes to roll and would’ve got going a bit earlier,” he said. “Under his big weight he took a little while to wind up, but it was a top run.
“He’s come through the race very well, he’s flying at the moment.
“He’s got another decent weight tomorrow, having the claim brings us down to 57kg so he’ll go a good race.”
On this occasion, Floor Moerman will take the reins aboard Vamos in the Gary McCormick Transport Ltd (1600m), while Riddell guides the fortunes of Radiant Reach, as they shoot for three wins on the bounce in the McIntosh Catering (1600m).
Tyler has always rated the daughter of Vadamos, who has found her sweet spot in the testing ground of late.
“Maturity is always up there, but I think the wetter tracks are really helping her too, she just thrives on them and is a happy horse at the moment,” Tyler said.
“I think she’ll take a bit of beating, but the worst thing with her is she’ll often beat herself when she’s slow out of the gates. That’s always a bit of a worry, but if she gives herself a fair start, she’ll be hard to beat.”
Lightly-tried Proisir filly Return Flight will have her first trip away when attending the meeting, and Tyler is confident she can bring her strong form into the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1200m).
“She went very well last start, she covered a huge amount of ground coming down the outside and has come through it well,” he said. “Wet track won’t worry her at all, so this is a winnable race for her.
“This will be her first trip away but she’s a good eater, so I think she’ll cope with it well.”
