Quality racemare Sinarahma (left) can bow out of racing on a winning note in Saturday’s Rotorua Cu“Having Big Mike there at the top of the handicap really compresses the weights, so she gets in very nicely.”
A favourable position in the weights has paved the way for one more raceday appearance by Group One-performed mare Sinarahma in Saturday’s Gr. 3 Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup.
It had previously been suggested that the Gr. 2 Travis Stakes at Te Rapa two weeks ago might be the swansong for the seven-year-old daughter of Darci Brahma, but her strong-finishing third over 2000 metres that day prompted trainer Allan Sharrock to reconsider.
“We had been thinking that the Travis might be her last one, but then the Rotorua Cup this weekend started to look like a particularly nice race for her to have one more run in,” the New Plymouth trainer told RaceForm.
“Having Big Mike there at the top of the handicap really compresses the weights, so she gets in very nicely.”
With a rating of 105 following his bold fresh-up win at Wanganui late last month, Big Mike has been allotted 61 kilos as clear topweight, while her rating of 94 combined with a four-point mare’s allowance means Sinarahma will carry just half a kilo above the 53-kilo minimum.
“I thought her run at Te Rapa was terrific,” Sharrock added. “She hit a bit of a flat spot at the 600, which she often does in her races, and she might have been entitled to finish second if she’d started travelling better for Matt (Cameron, jockey) a little bit sooner.
“It was still a very sound effort, and her work since then has been super. I’m very happy with her.”
Sinarahma is out of Sharrock’s former stable star Shez Sinsational, who won four Group One races over distances ranging from 2000 to 3200 metres.
While Sinarahma’s seven wins have all been over 1600 metres or less, Sharrock believes the step up to 2200 metres this weekend will be in her favour.
“She hasn’t done much racing at that trip before, but the way she was flying through the line at the end of the Travis Stakes at Te Rapa gives me a bit of confidence,” he said. “By the time they reached the crossing heading around the side of the track, she was just about in front.
“Her mother won all the way up to two miles, so I think she’ll manage okay. There isn’t a lot of rain in the forecast for Rotorua until Sunday, so I think we should have reasonable track conditions, and that’ll suit her nicely.”
Sinarahma has been a quality performer throughout a 33-start career spanning four seasons, earning $281,435 for an ownership group comprising Sharrock and his brother Bruce, Tony Kemp, Steak Goodin and Graeme Phillips.
Her seven wins are headed by the Gr. 3 Cuddle Stakes at Trentham in March, as well as the 2020 and 2022 editions of the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes. She has placed in another four black-type races, including a gallant second to Melody Belle in last year’s Gr. 1 Thorndon Mile.
“She’s had a super career and I’m very proud of her,” said Sharrock. “This will more than likely be her last run. She can have a well-earned rest after this, and then we’ll just have to pick a boyfriend for her.”
Sharrock also has a talented team entered closer to home at Hawera on Saturday, and he singled out Sinarahma’s close relative Our Hail Mary and the talented three-year-old filly Show Us More as runners to follow.
By Ocean Park out of Shez Sinsational’s full-sister Repenting, Our Hail Mary has won eight races including the Gr. 3 Trentham Stakes and Listed Marton Cup. After a couple of disappointing unplaced performances, the six-year-old turned things around with a fighting last-start third behind Big Mike at Wanganui.
Choisir filly Show Us More, meanwhile, has had three starts for a fourth, a win and a third, racing against talented opposition such as Le Villi, Scribe, Gucci Belt and Cote De Beaune.
“Depending on what happens with the weather at Hawera this week, I quite like the chances of Show Us More,” Sharrock said.
“Our Hail Mary’s last-start run was a much-improved performance as well, and she’s in a bit of a similar boat to her close relative Sinarahma. They’re both coming up to the end of their careers now.
“I wanted to keep them apart this week and send one to each meeting. Sinarahma is probably the one who’s going slightly the better of the two, but the race at Hawera looks like a nice option for Our Hail Mary this weekend.”
