TheHorsesForSale.com

It may be a pipedream but trainer Tim Symes has pencilled in New Zealand's richest race for Saturday's Hawkes Bay Gold Cup winner The Veep.

The $2 million Kelt Capital Stakes would appear a tall order for The Veep but with the race run on Symes' home track at Hastings he reckons he has a horse good enough to warrant an attempt.

Symes is the first to concede The Veep would need conditions in his favour, such as the heavy track that prevailed for the $130,000 group two 2200m handicap at Hastings.

"He'd go a pretty good race even if it was firm track but on a wet track that would be more of a hindrance to the others," Symes said yesterday.

"He's a pretty good horse. I think he'd have every chance if he got track conditions like he got yesterday."

The Kelt is run at Hastings on October 4 and first nominations for the 2040m group one weight-for-age feature close on May 6.

The Veep has been a good performer for Symes who bred and owns the Deputy Governor five-year-old gelding in partnership with his son Wilfred.

The latest win took the horse's record to 39 starts for nine wins, three seconds and five thirds with the winning stake of $81,250 taking his earnings to $234,000.

Symes bred The Veep from the Spectacular Love mare Love Proposal. Symes said Wilfred talked him into buying Love Proposal from fellow Hawkes Bay breeder Rob Mulcaster.

"Wilf had been helping wean the foals at Rob's that year and he said she (Love Proposal) was the fastest one around the paddock," Symes said.

Love Proposal won two races for Symes before being retired.

The Veep's win was Symes' biggest as a trainer although it is only in the past decade that he has been able to devote his time fully to racehorses.

Symes, 63, said he had ridden horses since he was aged three, took out a trainer's licence at 21 but training had remained only part-time until he leased out the family farm several years ago.

"I've had an occasional horse all the way through until probably the last 10-12 years," he said.

Symes was unsure of immediate plans for The Veep but a possible next start, depending on the handicapper, was the group three $150,000 Rotorua Cup (2170m) at Tauranga on May 3.

Last November, The Veep won the $75,000 Feilding Cup (2100m) at Awapuni, Palmerston North, but was unplaced at his next five starts over the summer.

Three of those races were group events likes the Counties and Avondale Cups and the Thorndon Mile at Trentham, Wellington, and Symes felt the horse was "harshly handicapped".

Saturday's winning rider was apprentice Kelly Myers who had The Veep camped in behind the leaders approaching the home turn and took the lead early in the run home.

The favourite Shining Light looked the winner when he loomed up soon after, but The Veep, a $5.20 second favourite, rallied to beat Shining Light by a neck.

There was 1 1/2 lengths to third-placed The Piper who ran on well down the outside, with 1 1/4 lengths to Chettak, fourth.