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Fraser Auret can’t find a reason not to give Aide Memoire the opportunity this Saturday to double her Group One tally.
The Marton trainer has confirmed his Captain Cook Stakes winner will run in the Tarzino Trophy at Hawke’s Bay.
Auret has been playing a waiting game with the lightly-raced six-year-old following her runner-up finish earlier this month when resuming under 63.5kg in a Rating 85 contest over 1000m at Tauherenikau.
It was a solid effort after she was caught in the slowest part of the track and was conceding nine and a-half kilos to the winner.
“She has always taken that first run to bring her up to speed, but I wanted to see how she came through it and that everything was in place before deciding about a start in the Tarzino,” Auret said.
“She has been working super and she is heading in the right direction. Mark Du Plessis has been booked to ride her.”
The winner of seven of her 17 starts, Aide Memoire will also have underfoot conditions in her favour at Hastings.
“There will be residual moisture in the ground so I think we are pretty safe on that score,” Auret said.
“It’s always a long and stressful week before these big races, but she seems to me to be a very happy horse so we’ll be taking our chance.”
Like all his fellow trainers, Auret has found it a balancing act to have his spring contenders at peak fitness.
“It's just been so wet everywhere and it’s been very tricky getting them ready,” he said. “You don’t want to get to the bottom of them on heavy tracks, but at the same time you have to get the work into them.” – NZ Racing Desk.