Exodus from White Robe Lodge

There is an exodus from White Robe Lodge this week. Patrick Erin heads to Wellington on Tuesday for the $250,000 Wellington Cup (3200m) on Saturday. He is in the care of co-trainer Shane Anderton and will have an overnight stay in Christchurch before crossing Cook Strait on Wednesday. Patrick Erin has won three of his five starts this season and he unwound late under 60kg to win over 2200m at Wingatui at his most recent start on December 26.  Chris Johnson has retained the mount on Patrick Erin, who has topweight of 59kg.

"His work has been good since his last win," said co-trainer Brian Anderton.

WRL apprentice Jacob Lowry heads to Trentham to ride The Lustre in the Desert Gold Stakes. He rode The Lustre to finish third to Hasahalo and Dijon Bleu in the NZ One Thousand Guineas in November.

On Wednesday Wayne and Jack Stewart begin the journey to Auckland with six yearlings for the Karaka sale. They will be joined to Karen Stewart in Friday. Five of the yearlings are from the first crop of WRL sire Ghibellines, including a half brother to Who Shot The Barman (five group race wins) and a half sister to Parthesia (Tasmania Oaks and listed Bagot Handicap at Flemington on January 1). There are colts by Ghibellines out of Inferno, Turn The Page and Ali Rosa and a filly by Savabeel from the three-time listed race winner, Include.

The consignment have overnight stays in Christchurch (Wednesday) and Bulls (Thursday) on the trip north.

The WRL stable will also be well represented at the Gore meeting on Saturday.