Photo credit: Trish Dunell
A brilliant front-running ride by Opie Bosson aboard In A Twinkling saw the pair combine to take out the Gr.3 Ssangyong Counties Cup (2100m) on Saturday.
Sporting the tangerine and blue colours of Te Akau Racing, In A Twinkling and Bosson dictated play from the moment the field for the Group Three feature race left the starting gates.
Allowed some soft sectionals throughout the middle stages, Bosson upped the tempo on the Fastnet Rock four-year-old with 600m to run and immediately had his nearest challengers struggling to respond.
Maintaining a strong gallop to the line, In A Twinkling registered his third career victory at his 17th start, comfortably holding out Cutadeel and Strolling Vagabond who dead-heated for second ahead of the well-supported Concert Hall.
Trainer Jamie Richards was delighted with the victory of the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) runner-up and Gr.1 ATC Derby (2400m) fifth placed horse.
“He’s got really good form as a three-year-old,” Richards said.
“In front, rolling along and setting his own tempo is probably the way to ride him.
“He’s had a bit of a frustrating run of seconds and been unlucky here and there so this is really good for the team.
“He had very good form in Australia so he is a fair horse.
“We’ll take him home now and set him for the Waikato Cup (Gr.3, 2400m) as he does have a future as a stayer with some nice races coming up.”
Bred by Caradale Pty Ltd, In A Twinkling is by Coolmore's Fastnet Rock out of the multiple stakes-winning mare Moment in Time making him a half-brother to Singapore Group One winner Mr Incredible.
Purchased out of the Curraghmore draft at the 2017 Premier Yearling Sale for $250,000 by Te Akau Racing boss David Ellis, In A Twinkling is raced by the Te Akau Fastnet Moment syndicate and holds a nomination for the Gr.3 NZ Campus of Innovation and Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham in January along with the Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie in March. - NZ Racing Desk
