Maracatu and When Stars Align prepared for Saturday’s Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders Stakes with smart work at Matamata on Tuesday morning, where the plough was again available and the course proper and No. 1 sand also offered good footing for the time of year.

Galloping on the plough, Maracatu (Parmar) and When Stars Align (Bosson) went together over 1000m, which they cut out in 1:04.6 and finished off with 600m in 36.8. The Te Akau pair will be fresh-up in the first three-year-old stakes race of the season but are quite forward after two preparatory trials.

Grace ’N’ Glory, one of the Mark Brosnan team making the trip to Ruakaka on Saturday, had her trainer on board when she hit out boldly over 1200m in 1:18.8, the last 1000m in 1:03.4 and 600m in 36.8. Grace ’N’ Glory has not performed at her best in her last two starts, but was a winner at Ruakaka in June.

Others to work over ground included Aotea Lad (Barnes) and Popthebubbles (Allen), who cut out their last 1200m in 1:19.8, 1:04 and 36.4, while Apache Boy (M Brosnan) returned 1:22.8, 1:07.2 and 40.2.

Last-start Ruakaka winner Quartz Queen (M Brosnan) worked well over 1000m in 1:03.2 and 37.4, while stablemate and possible weekend rival Vantaana (Brosnan) covered the same distance in 1:07.8 and 38.2.

Egyptian Queen (Bosson), a trial winner at Te Rapa last week, looked well in her work over 1000m in 1:06.5 and 38. Move To Strike (Bosson) also appeared to have come through his Te Rapa trial in good order when allowed an easy 1000m in 1:15.4 and 44.6.

Belllezor (Boshale) and Kealoha (Jadhav) were travelling well at the end of 1000m in 1:08.2 and 38.4. Over the same ground Richardson/Norvall stable newcomer Rocababy (Sherwood) recorded 1:12.6 and 42.8 and was followed in similar time by Offline (Kareem).

The Victress (Bosson) and Donna Chiara (Melvin) left 1000m behind in 1:09.2 and 39.6, El Viento (Parmar) clocked 1:12.2 and 41.6, and Juwalla (Jacobsen) took 1:12 and 39.4.

On the course proper, Ruakaka entry Mood Painter (Jacobsen) finished off his 1000m hitout with 600m in 39.2.

On the No. 1 sand Alabama Lass (Winter) looked on target for her resuming run at Taupo next week when well held over 1000m in 1:12.8 and 42.2.

Shoes (Jacobsen) was well contained when finishing of her work with 600m in 40.2, while Tregor (J Collett) breezed in from the 800m in 1:00.4 and 45.2.