THOROUGHBRED

BRUCE ALMIGHTY claimed another Cup when taking out the listed Waikato Stud Opunaki Cup at new Plymouth on Saturday.

He settled in fifth position on the inside, as the leaders panned wide on the home turn he hugged the fence and hit the front early in the run home, the challengers were there early but he ran away in the final stages to win by a convincing 4 1/2 lengths. BASES LOADED who also cut the corner tried hard for second, SACHA was wide throughout and ran on gamely down the outside to be a nose back in third.

BRUCE ALMIGHTY is a 7yo Gelding by DEPUTY GOVERNOR - STRIKING ANGEL he is trained by Stuart Manning at Tauranga and was ridden by Robert Hannam. He has had 15 career wins, 5 of those have been at New Plymouth. This was his 8th Cup victory,

Stuart Manning, " Great thrill this one, I didn't really think he would have a show especially in this ground but he did it, he never stops does he. I know he's well but this would definitely not be his favorite distance, hey good horses do it don't they. I only gave him this run at the last minute, I thought we'll just keep him a bit fresh, he is in work all the time and we were coming down anyway, who knows what can happen at New Plymouth, we knew he was well but we are sort of waiting for the spring more."