11 Mar 2018
Tavistock mare Rikki Tikki Tavi continued a lucrative preparation with further success at Ellerslie on Saturday.
The Ruakaka mare had won by a narrow margin in Rating 75 company on the course seven days previously and she stepped up in grade to stage a repeat performance with a slender victory in the Winger Maserati 1200m.
The Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs-trained Tavistock four-year-old has been beaten just once in five appearances this campaign and had to overcome a wide barrier in her most recent success.
“She quickened up smartly as I had to go back from a wide barrier and the splits came in the straight,” regular rider Samantha Collett said.
“Full credit to the Logan and Gibbs camp, they wouldn’t have backed her up if she wasn’t up to it.”
Rikki Tikki Tavi was at the tail of the field on the home turn and she got home strongly to beat Ja Binks and Howbowdat in a driving finish.
“She was very brave, she’s not very big but she’s tough,” Gibbs said. – NZ Racing Desk.