Perfect Fit
Trish Dunell
One of the country's top mares will be back in action at Pukekohe Park on Saturday.
The lightly-raced Perfect Fit will make her return in the Listed Counties Bowl after she was purposefully held back from the major spring racing.
"There's nothing like flying under the radar," said breeder and part-owner Mark Chitty, whose Haunui Farm operation also sponsors this weekend's 1200 metre sprint.
"This race will start her off, hopefully, on a path to the Railway Stakes and the Telegraph."
Trained by Ken and Bev Kelso, Perfect Fit won four of her first nine starts before she stepped up to claim an autumn black type double in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic and the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes.
She was then freshened for the Queensland winter carnival, but her campaign was cut short after an unplaced effort in the Gr.2 QTC Cup at Eagle Farm.
"She spelled here at Haunui after Brisbane and she has strengthened with the time out," Chitty said.
"We've had her up early in the past and she's showed that she's not a spring horse. She's always performed better after Christmas."
Perfect Fit is a home-bred daughter of Elusive City and the multiple Group One winner Fayreform.
"To be fair, we have always thought her five-year-old year would be her best," Chitty said.
"What she did as a four-year-old was fantastic and hopefully she's still got the desire to do better. She's only lightly-raced so that's in her favour.
"The Elusive Citys tend to be at their best as four, five and six-year-olds as well." – NZ Racing Desk.
The lightly-raced Perfect Fit will make her return in the Listed Counties Bowl after she was purposefully held back from the major spring racing.
"There's nothing like flying under the radar," said breeder and part-owner Mark Chitty, whose Haunui Farm operation also sponsors this weekend's 1200 metre sprint.
"This race will start her off, hopefully, on a path to the Railway Stakes and the Telegraph."
Trained by Ken and Bev Kelso, Perfect Fit won four of her first nine starts before she stepped up to claim an autumn black type double in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic and the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes.
She was then freshened for the Queensland winter carnival, but her campaign was cut short after an unplaced effort in the Gr.2 QTC Cup at Eagle Farm.
"She spelled here at Haunui after Brisbane and she has strengthened with the time out," Chitty said.
"We've had her up early in the past and she's showed that she's not a spring horse. She's always performed better after Christmas."
Perfect Fit is a home-bred daughter of Elusive City and the multiple Group One winner Fayreform.
"To be fair, we have always thought her five-year-old year would be her best," Chitty said.
"What she did as a four-year-old was fantastic and hopefully she's still got the desire to do better. She's only lightly-raced so that's in her favour.
"The Elusive Citys tend to be at their best as four, five and six-year-olds as well." – NZ Racing Desk.