Race Images Palmerston North
Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh isn’t in a hurry with Akoya despite a trials win at Matamata on Tuesday.
Akoya has recorded two wins and two placings from six starts for Marsh, but hasn’t raced since finishing unplaced in the Gr.3 Inglis Sales Cambridge Breeders Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa last April.
She reappeared at the Cambridge trials late last month and had another trials outing on the same track 16 days later and both those outings sharpened her up for Tuesday’s trial.
Ridden by Danielle Johnson, Akoya settled behind the leaders and rounded off her effort solidly to beat the joint pacemakers Gift Of Power and Break My Stride in an open 1000-metre heat.
“She’s taken the three trials to get her fitter,” Marsh said. “I’ll look at a 1200-metre race somewhere for her, but she won’t do much racing over the summer.
“She really needs the sting out of the ground and is better in the autumn. We’ll just keep her ticking over and aim for then.”