Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
Two trials over 1100m were held at Taupo on Wednesday for some of New Zealand’s better gallopers, horses that have placed in the first four in a Group Race.
What connections said:
Gift Of Power – Graeme Rogerson (co-trainer)
She went enormous in her trial today. I was very disappointed they had a small field at Waverley and they didn’t have a 1000m or 1100m $30,000 race, she missed it. She is running at Hastings on September 1 in a Rating 85 race. She’s flying, she had a nice soft trial at Te Teko and then she was really impressive (today). I think she is a pretty good filly. She is unbeaten at Trentham, so we’ll be looking at Wellington and we’ll just see what happens.
Jon Snow – Matthew Cameron (jockey)
It was definitely (a good hit-out). Being a colt too, he holds his condition quite well. He jumped well. They went a little bit quick for him around these turns at Taupo, but he stuck on well and that last little bit was good, so we’re looking forward to next week (Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy).
Sensible Princess - Fraser Auret (trainer)
It is certainly pretty short for her at this type of distance. She is quite forward and we have been really happy with her. It was a good hit-out and it looks like we are in the right vein of form. It is really hard with how wet some of the tracks have been around the place, but we have picked and choosed and hopefully we can get there (to the Tarzino Trophy) right on the money.
Bonneval – Andrew Forsman (co-trainer)
She blew out late. Bailey Rogerson (aboard Gift Of Power) made it a truly run trial, so that was probably not what Bonneval needed – such a hard hit-out chasing a strong pace, so she just knocked-up on her run, but I am still happy with the way she is coming up. A horse like Jon Snow has had a trial and is more forward than she is. We will just see how she comes through the trial but the plan would be to get her over to Melbourne in the next week or so and do similar things to what she did last year (won Gr.2 Dato' Tan Chin Nam Stakes and Gr.1 Underwood Stakes).
Wyndspelle - Johno Benner (co-trainer)
I think the first Group One for him (Tarzino Trophy, 1400m) is going to be a bit short, but the second one (Windsor Park Plate, 1600m) will be nice and I think the third one will be the one where you see him peaking (Livamol Classic, 2040m). He’s trending the right way and we are happy with him.
Maygrove – Andrew Forsman (co-trainer)
He’s a stayer having his first trial back and obviously he was just chugging along out the back.
Our Abbadean – Jamie Richards (trainer)
She always trials poorly, but races well when she gets the blinkers back on. If we are happy with her on Saturday and Tuesday, she will go to the Tarzino Trophy. It would be a nice place to kick her off, she won’t come right until the last leg of the Hawke’s Bay triple crown (Livamol Classic, 2040m), but she needs some racing and she’s a year older and ayear stronger.
Video: Heat 1 - Gift Of Power
Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)
What connections said:
Ocean Emperor - Shaun McKay (jockey)
It was a good trial. He’s also trialed at Te Teko and has come back from Singapore nice and toned. He’s coming into the Group One (Tarzino Trophy) fit and ready. At the 200m I just gave him a bit of a dig behind the saddle just to keep his mind on the job and he responded really well. He’s a colt with a lot of ability and he’s coming into the race probably a bit under-rated, so I’m happy to ride him.
Scott Base - Johno Benner (co-trainer)
I’m tickled pink with that. He was in desperate need of this today. Obviously, it’s not ideal having to come all the way to Taupo for a trial, but he’s one of those horses that deals with whatever you throw at him. We were rapt with his trial. He’s been building really nicely. As it is for everyone at this time of year, it is hard to get them prepared with rain-affected training tracks. That is why we came here and we couldn’t be happier with him as we can tighten the screws on him a touch. If he can draw an alley in the Tarzino they’ll know he is there.
Lizzie L’Amour – Andrew Forsman (co-trainer)
She scrambled around the turn a little bit but hit the line well and she is reasonably forward. There are no real plans with her at this stage, we will just see how she comes up. We’ll probably give her another trial somewhere.
Nicoletta – Andrew Forsman (co-trainer)
I’m very happy with her. She has come up a treat this time in. She is much bigger and stronger and we are really looking forward to seeing what she brings this preparation.
We have nothing really in mind with her, we will just see how she comes along. She still has a fair bit of improvement looking at her, she is pretty big. She could perhaps be ready later in the spring carnival.
Masque – Graeme Rogerson (co-trainer)
Masque went well, he is only a three-year-old, he wants a bit further. At this stage we are looking at taking him to the El Roca (Listed 1200m race on September 1). He probably wants a little drier track than today, but it was a nice trial.
Von Tunzelman – Roger James (co-trainer)
I was happy with his trial. When he gets going twice this distance he will be a chance. We will look at some nice handicaps and possibly some weight-for-age races around Christmas time. He’ll have a slow build-up, but it will be domestic racing this side of Christmas anyway.
Age of Fire – Jamie Richards (co-trainer)
He went fair, he is a lot better than that, but he is a four-year-old entire now and he might just need a bit more work. We came down here for a gallop a fortnight ago and he worked nice enough, but it is sort of shaping like he wants to stay a bit, whereas in the Autumn last year we didn’t think he was going to, so we will be sitting down with the owners and having a good talk to them and working through some plans.
Gundown – Andrew Forsman (co-trainer)
He was probably only borderline for being ready for his trial today. It was more of a chance to bring him down to Taupo and have a good hit-out. He was just out-paced, naturally, he’s going to make a nice staying type of horse.
Video: Heat 2 – Ocean Emperor