Miss Appleton
Race Images Palmerston North
Awapuni trainer Gary Vile is keen to head south later this year with his speed merchant Miss Appleton.
His plan to tackle the Gr.3 Lindauer Stewards' Stakes at Riccarton in November with the daughter of Align gained momentum at Hastings on Saturday when the six-year-old blitzed her rivals in the Swiss Ace Rating 85 Sprint.
The victory came as no surprise to Vile, who had freshened Miss Appleton since she finished third at Trentham in June and he had been buoyed by her winning trial performance at Foxton earlier this month.
"I was pretty confident with her, she had no weight on her back and she had trialled up very well and it took The Bold One to beat her in this race last year," he said.
Miss Appleton flew the gates to make the running under apprentice Holly Andrew and they had the field in trouble on straightening.
"She always jumps the barrier very well and I said to Holly to go to the front and kick on the turn," Vile said.
Andrew carried out her instructions to perfection and Miss Appleton responded by romping clear for a hollow win.
"She's a tough horse with a big heart," she said. "She really put in when it mattered."
Xcuses sat in second spot to the turn and she stuck on gamely in the run home while with both Reilly Lincoln and Shadows Cast making late ground to be the next pair to cross the line. – NZ Racing Desk.
His plan to tackle the Gr.3 Lindauer Stewards' Stakes at Riccarton in November with the daughter of Align gained momentum at Hastings on Saturday when the six-year-old blitzed her rivals in the Swiss Ace Rating 85 Sprint.
The victory came as no surprise to Vile, who had freshened Miss Appleton since she finished third at Trentham in June and he had been buoyed by her winning trial performance at Foxton earlier this month.
"I was pretty confident with her, she had no weight on her back and she had trialled up very well and it took The Bold One to beat her in this race last year," he said.
Miss Appleton flew the gates to make the running under apprentice Holly Andrew and they had the field in trouble on straightening.
"She always jumps the barrier very well and I said to Holly to go to the front and kick on the turn," Vile said.
Andrew carried out her instructions to perfection and Miss Appleton responded by romping clear for a hollow win.
"She's a tough horse with a big heart," she said. "She really put in when it mattered."
Xcuses sat in second spot to the turn and she stuck on gamely in the run home while with both Reilly Lincoln and Shadows Cast making late ground to be the next pair to cross the line. – NZ Racing Desk.