Horses preparing for feature races at Te Rapa on Saturday took most attention during trackwork at Matamata on Tuesday morning.
Galloping left-handed on the course proper, where the going 20 metres out was heavy, last-start Proisir Plate winner Quintessa (Bosson) looked on target for this weekend’s Howden Insurance Mile when paired with Qali Al Farrasha (Melvin) over 1200m in 1:27.9, the last 1000m in 1:11.5 and 600m in 41.6. Both Te Akau mares are in good order for the step up to 1600m in the second Group One race of the spring.
Legarto (Colgan), the fixed odds favourite for the Howden Mile, went with last-start winner Litteral (Fawcett) on the No. 1 sand, where they cut out 1000m in a well-held 1:07.2 and 38.4. On top of a strong hitout between races at Ellerslie last Saturday, Legarto looks ft and ready for her weekend assignment.
Sterling Express (Hashizume) worked on the No. 2 sand, where he tracked stablemate Outback Opal (M Brosnan) through the early stages of his hitout before striding up alongside alongside to complete 1200m in 1:19.2, 1:04.7 and 37.2. Sterling Express followed his Foxbridge Plate win at Te Rapa last month with a solid fourth in the Proisir Plate.
Matamata’s remaining Howden Mile candidate, Waitak, worked on Monday morning when ridden by raceday rider Craig Grylls on the course proper, completing 1000m in 1:08.3 and 600m in 41.2. He also had a gallop between races at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Back to Tuesday, Hawke’s Bay Guineas candidate Affirmative Action (Nishizuka) was paired with Harlech (Dellow) on the course proper, completing 1000m in 1:09.6 and 40.2. Affirmative Action, who has trained on well from his Sir Colin Meads Trophy win, is one of a number of Te Rapa entries waiting in the hope of reasonable ground.
Guineas rival Hostility (C Grylls) went with He Who Dares (Bosson) in solid work over 1000m in 1:06.3 and 38.4, while stablemates Wild Night (Bosson) and Cool ’N’ Fast (Danis) ran the same distance in 1:06.8 and 38.6.
Faultless (C Grylls) prepared for the Guineas with Giacomo (Parmar), cutting out a smart 100m in 1:06.2 and 38.2, while Bulgari (S Weatherley) was paired with Mali Ston (Parvee) in his Guineas hitout over 1000m in 1:10.8 and 39.2.
Te Rapa entries Channel Surfer (Fawcett) and Lady Grey (Butler) covered 1000m in 1:09.6 and 40, Balance Of Power (Danis) ran the same distance in 1:07.9 and 38.5, Tregor (J Collett) returned 1:12.2 and 41.2, and Malmaison (Azrul) 1:07.8 and 39.8.
Those to work over ground included I’m A Dirty Rascal (Berge), who strode into his work from the 1200m mark to record 1:20.1, 1:06.5 and 39. Sagunto (Parmar) ran the same trip in 1:24.2, 1:09 and 40.5, while Step In Time (Rastrick) and Aversio (Dellow) took 1:25.4, 1:10.2 and 41.5.
On the No. 2 sand Fly My Wey (M Brosnan) did sound work over ground, with the last 1200m in 1:23.4, 1:06.8 and 38.2. Atkins (Turner) and St Giles (S Collett) left 1000m behind in 1:06.5 and 36.2, while Reptak (Mullineaux) recorded 1:06.2 and 37.6.