The Nicky Chilcott trained Everything can win his second Country Cup in 11 days when he lines up in the $14,000 Speight's Ale House Manawatu Cup for the up to R90-rated pacers at Manawatu Raceway tonight (Thursday).
The R71 rated Everything will start from four off the front line, and according to Chilcott, he has come through his latest assignment well and is primed to go a big one in the 2500m mobile.
“He is having his first start at Manawatu but every time I have asked him to step up he has done that – and some. I couldn’t be happier with him.
“I know it’s a step up in grade for him, but he keeps improving and winning his races easily. He’s my best drive of the night,” Chilcott said.
Chilcott will also drive Loki Brogden in the fourth event. That 9-year-old Continentalman gelding will start from a 20m handicap and his Cambridge trainer/driver said he can win with luck in the running.
“If the real Loki Brogden stood up he would win that race, but it’s not going to be easy from the back mar,” she said.
If both Everything and Loki Brogden do win they will notch up Chilcott’s 599th and 600th driving successes – less than a fortnight after she achieved her 400th training victory at Otaki on January 27.
Chilcott said she would dearly love to win the Manawatu Cup – a race that has eluded her in recent years.
Everything has now won four of his last six starts since joining the Chilcott stable this season, including the Otaki Grass Cup last start on January 29. In fact the Sands A Flyin gelding won on both days of the Kapiti Coast Harness Racing Club’s meeting.
All-up the brown 5-year-old has now won four of his eight starts and $17,496 in stakes for the Summer Fun Number 1 Syndicate.
“I can’t fault him. He’s such a lovely horse to have in the stable. He never leaves a grain, has a great constitution, and also possesses a wonderful nature. He seems to take everything in his stride,” Chilcott said.
Chilcott said he was originally trained by Tony Shaw but when he gave up training Everything ended up at the Butchers (John and David)
“Then Les White, who works for me noticed that the horse wasn’t doing much and I got the horse through him. He did a lot of his early work so the horse is a credit to him,” Chilcott said.
Everything, who is out of the seven-win ($45, 478) Camtastic mare For The Girls, was bred by Hambletonian Limited.
His only win on the all-weather track came at Alexandra Park on December 22 when he won a maiden 2200m mobile by three quarters of a length in 2:45.2 (mile rate 2:00.80 and home in 56.7 and 27.5.
"He's a much stronger and more experienced horse than then, and even though there's some nice horses in the Manawatu Cup I think he can surprise a few, because like I said he's never let me down yet," said Chilcott.
Toughest for Everything to beat will be the Andrew & Lyn Neal trained Beyond The Silence (Lyn Neal), the Mike Berger trained Lusty Mac (Philip Butcher), and the Tony Herlihy (MNZM) trained Bettors Pocket (Stephen Doody).
Past Manawatu Cup winners have been (with times, driver and trainer):
2016: Risk, fr, 3:06.3, Todd Mitchell, Andrew & Lyn Neal.
2015: Te Kawau, fr, 3:12.6, Ricky May, Stephen Doody.
2014: Maximan, fr, 3:08.5, Jim Curtin, Jim Curtin.
2013: Star Of Isis, fr, Jim Curtin, Jim Curtin.
2012: On The Razzle, fr, 3:07.7, Peter Ferguson, Graeme Rogers & Peter Blanchard.
2011: Reklaw's Chance, fr, 3:06.9, Jay Abernethy, Wayne Higgs.
2010: Cyclone Night, fr, 3:07.8, Peter Ferguson, Gareth Dixon.
2009: Flyin Interstate, fr, 3:09.2, Andrew Suddaby, Brent Lilley.
2008: Victory Spirit, fr, 3:07.3, David Butcher, Geoff Small.
2007: Daibin, fr, 3:09.1, Brent Mangos, Kenny Tarrant.
2006: Sandstorm, fr, 3:07.3, Peter Ferguson, Pat & Mike O'Brien.
Duane Ranger
