Leading candidates for Saturday’s TAB Mufhasa Classic headlined a busy session at Matamata on Tuesday morning as they prepared for weekend racing.
The majority of serious work took place 18 metres out on the course proper, which was in the soft range.
Legarto and Captured By Love had their respective raceday riders Vinny Colgan and Opie Bosson on board when they were paired in a soundly-run 1200m. With early use of the track, they were timed over the full distance in 1:20.2, building momentum as they went to record 1:04.6 for the last 1000m and an impressive 36.7 for the final 600m.
Legarto looks fitter for last week’s Te Aroha trial hitout, when she wore blinkers for the first time in competition and again in her main final gallop in preparation for her Trentham assignment. Last-start Riccarton winner Captured By Love, who also ran well in the Te Aroha trial, will be entered as well for Saturday’s Group Three 1400m as a proviso against a testing track.
Spring star Waitak (P Singh) looked bright and bouncy in his solo gallop over 1000m in 1:04.5, hitting the line full of running after a final 600m in 37.8. The winner of the Gr. 1 Howden Insurance Mile and Livamol Classic in his last two starts had an easy trial at Taupo last week and is in very good order for his attempt at a Group One hat-trick on Saturday.
Pukekohe Saturday entries Landlock (Harris) and Carajillo (Turner) worked well together over 1000m in 1:06.8 and 37.6. After a recent trial win, Landlock looks ready to put a disappointing spring behind him in the Bonecrusher Stakes, while Carajillo runs in the Rating 65 1500m.
Yamato Satona (Tynan) and L’Aigle Noir (Mullineaux), rivals for Landlock in the Bonecrusher Stakes, also impressed in their 1000m hitout in 1:05.2 and 37.8. The lightly-tried Wexford Stables pair are in good order for the step up to stakes grade. Romilly (Paswan) and Sorghaghtani (Romero) ran a solid 1000m in 1:04.9 and 37.8.
Pukekohe pair Kabugee (Bosson) and Altari (Hutchings) also did well over 1000m in 1:05.5, finishing impressively with a final 600m in 36.6. Both are in forward order to kick off fresh campaigns this weekend. Last-start winner The Perfect One (Gabi) shaped up well for Trentham with a well-held 800m in 57 and 40.6.
Vougeot (Dellow) and Sadhbh (Reid) prepared for the Rating 65 2100m at Pukekohe with sound work over ground and were timed from the 1200m in 1:22.8, 1:08.2 and 40.6. Crackercol (Mullineaux) also could have gone faster in his work over 1200m in 1:20.6, 1:06.8 and 39.3.
Livid Sky (Fawcett) wasn’t after time as she prepared for Pukekohe with 1000m in 1:11.2 and 40.8. Smart Love (Farr), who runs next at Te Rapa on Saturday week, was well-held over 1000m in 1:10.5 and 40.7, as was Lux Libertas (Holliday) when she followed in 1:12.8 and 42.6.
Bradley (Turner) and Redletterday (Harris) did well over 1000m in 1:04.3 and 37.6, When Stars Align (Hutchings) recorded 1:06.6 and 37.4, Genki (Tynan) and Ohope Wins (Loki) 1:05.8 and 38.2, Perlino (Bosson) and Tiantai (Fawcett) took 1:07 and 38.5, Wolf God (Parmar) and Now Not Never (Rastrick) 1:08 and 38.7, and Typhoon Lucy (Danis) and Pilates (Hutchings) 1:10.8 and 40.5.
Alohamoana (Escotet), a recent trial winner set to debut in the juvenile race at Te Aroha on Sunday, hit out well with State The Obvious (Romero) over 800m in 56.8 and 38.5.
On the No. 2 sand, Spencer (S McKay) shaped up well for the Spring Sprint at Trentham when he and Pukekohe entry Giacomo (Hassman) cut out 1000m in 1:05.5 and 37.6. Spencer has come through his first-up win from the McKay stable in pleasing order.
Up The Anti (Farr), who has his first start for the O’Sullivan/Scott stable at Pukekohe, left 1000m behind in 1:04 and 37.2. In easier work over the same distance, Atmospheric (Turner) recorded 1:09.5 and 39.6, and Troublemaker (Hutchings) 1:10.8 and 39.4.
Levakia (Fawcett) was well contained over 1200m in 1:31.8, 1:15.6 and 44.2, while Sarti (Hutchings) and Astrum (Turner) were timed from the 800m in 52.3 and 37.6.