Ahead of the busy Labour Weekend racing schedule, a number of horses with engagements drew attention to their prospects when they galloped at Matamata on Tuesday morning.
Most fast work took place on the plough, where Astoria Brooke (C Grylls) and Bow Hill (Bragg) were paired over 1000m in 1:05.2, quickening for an impressive final 600m in 36.5. Astoria Brooke signed off her last campaign with two wins and completed a hat-trick first-up at Te Rapa last month.
The Cody Cole-trained mare is in good order for the step up to stakes company in the Thompson Handicap at Trentham on Sunday, while stablemate Bow Hill is in forward condition to resume at Te Rapa on Monday.
Wild Night (Bosson) and Talisker (Doyle) were in good form as they prepared for Te Rapa with 1000m in 1:07.6 and 38.5. Another Te Rapa entry to catch the eye was She’s All That (C Grylls), who cut out a sound 1000m in 1:06.2 and 37.2. She also appears to have made the right progress since her fresh-up win late last month.
What You Wish For (Doyle) and Midnight Blue (Melvin) prepared for Ellerslie on Saturday with good work over ground which they completed with 1200m in 1:22.4, 1:05.8 and 37.2. Also over ground, Curzon Park (Holliday) and Channel Surfer (Wratten) got through 1200m well in 1:20.6, 1:04.5 and 37.2.
Ellerslie entries Kusuda Rush (C Grylls) and Incredible (Tynan) cut out 1000m well when recording 1:04.2 and 37, while another heading for Ellerslie, Belle Cheval (Bosson), was paired with Marokopa Falls (Hassman) over the same distance in a smart 1:03.4 and 36.3.
Dubai Gold (Nishizuka), who resumes at Te Rapa on Monday, was travelling well at the end of her work with Dragon Blossom (Rastrick) over 1200m in 1:23.4, 1:06.2 and 37. Levakia (Fawcett) was never at top as she prepared for Te Rapa over 1000m in 1:10.2 and 40.4.
Giacomo (C Grylls) did well over 1000m in 1:04.7 and 36.6, while Part Time Lover (Turner) and Power Of Three (Bragg) were unextended over the same ground in 1:09.8 and 39. Vendabelle (Turner) was well held over 1000m in 1:12.4 and 40.9.
On the No. 1 sand, Faultless (S McKay) and Wolfgang (Doyle) cut out 1000m together in 1:05.3 and 37.8. Faultless heads to Monday’s Sarten Memorial following his Hawke’s Bay Guineas third. Stablemate Subiaco (Parmar) looked the part as he prepared for Ellerslie over 1000m in 1:03.4 and 36.5.