Cognito looked on target for Saturday’s Hawke’s Bay Cup at Otaki when he galloped impressively at Matamata on Tuesday morning.

Working on the plough, Cognito (Pinn) and Treaty Of Paris (Miller) set off over ground and were timed from the 1200m in a smart 1:16.2. They maintained a solid gallop with the last 1000m in 1:01.6 and the final 600m in 35.8. Cognito was brought undone by a heavy track at his last start, but if his recent trackwork is any guide, he’s ready for a bold showing in what will be his middle-distance debut on the weekend. Last-start winner Treaty Of Paris runs next at the local meeting on Friday week.

Stablemates Popthebubbles (Bosson) and Zantabulous (Parmar) prepared for Te Rapa on Sunday with a sound 1000m in 1:03.9 and 36, as did Loch Katrine (Sanson) and Tears Of Victory (Turner) over the same distance in 1:04 and 36.5.

Te Rapa two-year-old entry Tristar (Tynan) was working well at the end of 1000m with Ribkraka (Mxothwa) in 1:04.2 and 35.8. Freeze Frame (Bosson) was strong in his solo 1000m in 1:01.6 and 35.6, while Renovation (Harris) and Secret Life (Turner) recorded 1:02.8 and 36.4.

Vino Valentino (Tynan) looked to have trained on well from her last-start win when cutting out 1000m in 1:04.2 and 36.5. Over the same ground Otaki two-year-old entry Star Shadow (Parmar) was paired with Dream of the Moon (Bosson) in 1:05.2 and 36.2, Imunstoppable (Rastrick) took 1:04.2 and 36.4, and Valentine (Pinn) and Baronet (Melvin) 1:03.2 and 36.3.

Other 1000m gallops included Silver Javelin (Tynan) and Little Bit Of Love (L Singh) 1:02.2 and 36.4, Aris Aris (Pinn) and Malborough Bay (Melvin) 1:04.2 and 37.8, Extortion (Sherwood) and Bridgerton (Bragg) 1:05.6 and 38.2, Kingfisher (Rastrick) 1:05.6 and 37.4, and Fashion Shoot (Melvin) 1:10.8 and 40.6.

On the course proper, where the ground was good with the markers set at 20 metres, Te Rapa weekend entry Tevere (Mullineaux) shaped up well when galloping in company with Why Not Me (Nishizuka) over 1200m in 1:22.3, the last 1000m in 1:06 and 600m in 37.4.

Stablemate Madam Le Fay (Pinn) hit out strongly over 1200m in 1:18.3, 1:04.5 and 37.5. Fellow Te Rapa candidates Force Of Law (Mullineaux) and Kind Of Blue (Nishizuka) cut out 1000m in 1:08.4 and 37.8, while She’s Sinatra (C Grylls) and Chante Moi (S Singh) ran the same distance in a smart 1:04.7 and 36.8.