Horse preparing for the final day of the NZ Cup carnival were the centre of attention at Matamata on Tuesday morning.
New Zealand 2000 Guineas candidates Affirmative Action, Romanoff and He Who Dares all galloped on the course proper, which was soft 28 metres after heavy overnight rain, while New Zealand Cup topweight Wolfgang did his final piece of serious work on the No. 2 sand.
Ridden by co-trainer Shaun McKay, Wolfgang strode away from the 2000m mark and as he gathered momentum he was timed from the 1200m in 1:17.8, the last 1000m in 1:04.6 and hit the line well with a final 600m in 37.8. The proven stayer has made excellent progress since his return to form at Te Rapa and even with clear topweight he will take some beating on Saturday.
On the course proper, NZ 2000 Guineas favourite Affirmative Action was ridden by raceday jockey George Rooke when he and race rival Romanoff (Parmar) strode over 1200m in 1:21.6, 1000m in 1:06.4 and finishing off with a 600m in 38.8. Both horses have satisfied trainer Pam Gerard since their final lead-up runs as she attempts back-to-back wins in the Riccarton classic.
Te Akau’s NZ 2000 Guineas hope He Who Dares was ridden by his big-race rider Wiremu Pinn in company with Wild Night (Safiq), timed over their last 1200m in 1:21.4, 1:05.1 and 38. He Who Dares appears to have hit peak fitness at the right time, while Wild Night is likely to step up to 1600m in the Tauranga Stakes on Saturday.
Stablemate Qali Al Farrasha (Melvin), who may also run in the Tauranga feature, was paired with Top Shelf (Hassman) over 1200m in 1:22.3, 1:06.2 and 37.8. Qali Al Farrasha has freshened up well since last racing. Legarto (Winter) took an encouraging step after a recent setback with an unextended 1000m in 1:12 and 40.5. Her ongoing progress will determine whether she resumes in the TAB Mile at Trentham in early December or the week later Cal Isuzu Stakes at Te Rapa.
Yamato Satona (Hashizume) and Waiata (L Singh) prepared for Tauranga with a soundly run 1000m in 1:06.2 and 38.3, while two other weekend prospects from the Wexford team to impress were L’Aigle Noir (Hashizume) and She’s All That (Farr), who ran the same trip in 1:05 and 38.2.
Trobriand (Amin), an entry for the Stewards’ Stakes at Riccarton, was his usual keen self as he cut out 1000m in 1:03.8 and 37.6. Charmrose (Melvin) ran a more steady solo 1000m in 1:08.5 and 38.6, and in similar work Kaimai Queen (Parmar) took 1:08.5 and 38.
Tauranga open middle-distance entry Fly My Wey (M Brosnan) strode over 1200m in 1:25, 1:08.8 and 40.5. Empressive (Sandeep) and Bellezor (Goodwin) had pace on early in their 1000m hitout in 1:04.8 and 38.2, while Captain Roy (Farr) took 1:06.4 and 38.8..
Others to gallop 1000m included Red Letter Day (S Collett) and Lagarde (Harris), who recorded 1:09. 2 and 39.4, Day One (Pinn) and When Stars Align (Berge) 1:07.8 and 38.2, Gossip (Sanson) and Crackercol (Tynan) 1:07.2 and 38.4, Ohope Wins (Farr) and La Cabre (L Singh) 1:06.8 and 39.2, and Sonoran (S Collett) and Sadbh (Parmar) 1:07.6 and 38.3.
I Am Nutz (Berge) did well later in the session to cut out 1000m in 1:04.8 and 38.4, while Pericles (Rooke) prepared for Tauranga over 1000m in 1:08.2 and 38.9, and Genki (Tynan) and Acer (Mullineaux) recorded 1:08.5 and 38.4.
Shoes (Rooke), who runs next in the Concorde Handicap at Pukekohe, was strong at the end of 800m in 55.4 and 39.5, while Ginger Miss (Farr) was timed over the same distance in 54.6 and 41.4.