South Island's "magic man" Chris Johnson
travelled north on Sunday to snare a winning treble at Rotorua, highlighted by
a typically patient ride on Cambridge mare Let Her Rip to capture the Group III ISCL Rotorua Stakes.
Johnson, who is making a concerted effort to snare his first National Jockey's
Premiership, was having his first ride on the Rip Van Winkle four-year-old.
Trainer Shaune Ritchie mused before the race that he felt Johnson's quiet style
would suit the mare and so it proved as he allowed her to find her feet in the
early rush before making his move approaching the home bend.
Taranaki visitor New York Minute had scampered to the lead at that point with
race favourite Underthemoonlight in hot pursuit. Johnson angled Let Her Rip
between the pair and asked for a final effort which came immediately as she
dashed away to score from a game New York Minute who battled strongly to hold
second from Underthemoonlight.
Raced in the same colour's as the recently retired multiple Group One winner
Turn Me Loose, Let Her Rip was registering her fifth career win from 17 starts
and first at stakes level.
"We suggested before the race Chris might suit her and he is very good at his
best," remarked Ritchie.
"That's why you put these leading riders on as he allowed her to do her own
thing and came into the race at just the right moment."
Ritchie was quick to joke about a delay to the race which saw it run 30 minutes
over the scheduled start time due to an illness on course that required the
attention of the ambulance staff.
"She's tended to get a bit hot in the past but this time she was very relaxed
at the start," he said.
"Maybe that delay was a good thing although you couldn't say she was trained to
the minute when they run late like that."
Plans for Let Her Rip will be decided during a brief break over the next week which
could include a trip to Brisbane if the tracks there stay wet or an extended
stint in the paddock with an eye to a spring campaign.
Johnson's winning treble took him to 84 wins for the season and just 5 behind
current premiership leader Danielle Johnson with just over two months of the
season left to run. – NZ Racing Desk
Footnote : A $$1,000 NZB Select Yearling Sale purchase, Let Her Rip is the 16th stakes-winner for Rip Van Winkle and is from stakes-winning Keeper mare Keeper Special.