Former Cantabrian Penvose Lad (U S Navy Flag) is loving life in the deep south.

Formerly trained by Riccarton horsewoman Anna Furlong, the now five-year-old gelding won three races before joining Ebony Turner’s Riverton barn in search of more forgiving footing in spring.

“I got approached by his owners. They felt that the tracks were getting too hard for him up there (Canterbury) and if he was going to be travelling south for softer track conditions, he may as well be trained down here, and I was the lucky one that got the phone call,” Turner said.

After running seventh fresh-up at Wingatui last month, he strung together two runner-up efforts over Cromwell’s two-day meeting, much to the delight of Turner.

“In that first-up run he couldn’t get any clear running room at all, and it was gutting to see as he went to the line completely untested,” she said.

“We were always confident that we were going to see his form turn around and we were pleased that he did it over the two-day meeting at Cromwell with all of his owners there. It made for a lovely weekend away.”

Turner has been pleased with the way he has progressed since his Cromwell runs and she is hoping he can go one better at Gore on Sunday when he contests the Dynes Transport Tapanui Cup (1335m).

“He has come through Cromwell in super order and we thought why not have a go at the Tapanui Cup?” Turner said.

“It is definitely not a weak field, but he has got a good weight (54kg) and he has definitely shown that he can stand up to horses like that.”

Penvose Lad has drawn out wide in barrier 10, but that poses no concerns for Turner.

“I am not too stressed about the draw,” she said. “He is the kind of horse that you can place wherever you like. He will find his feet and run home.”

-By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk