News

Bargain buy Tinszelda looks just fine to Northam

21st May 2012

Sydney Morning Herald - Craig Young - Saturday, 19 May 2012

DODGY front legs weren't a concern for Scone trainer Rodney Northam, whose confidence in Tinszelda was justified when the juvenile carted off the $100,000 Inglis Challenge on his home track.

The confidence about Northam's Rod's Bid in Saturday's $500,000 Inglis Guineas at Scone is not as great as that surrounding the unbeaten Tinszelda, which started favourite.

''I did look at [today's] fillies' race and there was only $20,000 difference for winning,'' Northam said. ''I'm not saying she couldn't win that, but this was the easier option.''

The option to pay $19,000 for Tinszelda came at last year's Scone yearling sale and Northam wasn't leaving without the daughter of Sniztel.

''She was offset and turned out in the front knees but side on, you look at her, and she looks beautiful,'' Northam said. ''I've always loved her. She was out of a triple group 1 winner in Canada, a champion mare, and she is by Snitzel. They don't come that cheap.''

Northam is eyeing off a black-type race over the Brisbane winter carnival for the two-year-old and jockey Dale Spriggs is keen to stick solid, having won all three starts on her.

''That's the good thing about the owners, they've stuck by me,'' Spriggs said. ''Usually when [owners] win a couple they drop you and put Sydney riders on.''

Spriggs even thanked on-track rival Robert Thompson, who won a trial on Tinszelda but couldn't continue the association.

''I've got Robert to thank for educating her,'' Spriggs said. ''I think she has a lot of upside. It was only her third start. She was second-up and had a good look around. There is a lot of improvement there.''

Northam, who also won the $100,000 feature two years ago with Okane, and Spriggs are back today for Rod's Bid in the Guineas. ''She is a bit of a rough chance in the big race,'' Northam said about the $71 outsider. He also likes his track specialist, Exploitable Doubt ($8.50), in today's Dane Shadow Sprint. Thompson takes the ride.