Guess What
Trish Dunell
John Mason is keen on a return visit to New Plymouth with Guess What with the weather his only concern.
The Tokoroa-based horseman has the hardy seven-year-old at the top of his game and is hoping for a drying of the track, rated on Thursday as a Slow 8, in his bid to go one better in the Gr.3 Platinum Homes Taranaki Cup.
"He ran second in it a couple of years ago and the course suits him," Mason said.
"He has won on a soft track, but he's got an opinion about that as he's got older and he can spit the dummy. I'd like to see the track improve."
Guess What has won two of his last four starts with his latest success achieved with a game front-running performance in the Hamilton Cup at Te Rapa.
He will again be ridden by Samantha Collett, who has a strong book of rides at New Plymouth where she will also be aboard the Stephen Marsh-trained pair of On the Move in the Gr.3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic and Barbaric in the Coca Cola Dash.
Meanwhile, Guess What's stablemate Breaking Dawn will make his next appearance in the Listed Marks Ewen & Associates Kaimai Stakes at Matamata on Saturday week.
"He was second in it a couple of years ago as well," Mason said.
Breaking Dawn was third behind Guess What two runs back and stepped out in Group One company last Saturday to finish a game fourth, after going to the front 800 metres from home in the Herbie Dyke Stakes.
"I didn't think there would be any pace in it and that the three-year-old (Ronchi) would make it a stop-start affair," Mason said.
"I told Sam (Collett) to go, but it was detrimental to our performance in the end, although he hung on pretty well," Mason said. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Tokoroa-based horseman has the hardy seven-year-old at the top of his game and is hoping for a drying of the track, rated on Thursday as a Slow 8, in his bid to go one better in the Gr.3 Platinum Homes Taranaki Cup.
"He ran second in it a couple of years ago and the course suits him," Mason said.
"He has won on a soft track, but he's got an opinion about that as he's got older and he can spit the dummy. I'd like to see the track improve."
Guess What has won two of his last four starts with his latest success achieved with a game front-running performance in the Hamilton Cup at Te Rapa.
He will again be ridden by Samantha Collett, who has a strong book of rides at New Plymouth where she will also be aboard the Stephen Marsh-trained pair of On the Move in the Gr.3 Phoenix Park 2YO Classic and Barbaric in the Coca Cola Dash.
Meanwhile, Guess What's stablemate Breaking Dawn will make his next appearance in the Listed Marks Ewen & Associates Kaimai Stakes at Matamata on Saturday week.
"He was second in it a couple of years ago as well," Mason said.
Breaking Dawn was third behind Guess What two runs back and stepped out in Group One company last Saturday to finish a game fourth, after going to the front 800 metres from home in the Herbie Dyke Stakes.
"I didn't think there would be any pace in it and that the three-year-old (Ronchi) would make it a stop-start affair," Mason said.
"I told Sam (Collett) to go, but it was detrimental to our performance in the end, although he hung on pretty well," Mason said. – NZ Racing Desk.