MATAMATA
Horses with engagements at Ellerslie’s Karaka Millions meeting were the centre of attention during a busy training session at Matamata on Tuesday morning.
Leading Sistema Railway candidate Alabama Lass (Winter) looked the part when she completed her final serious work ahead of Saturday’s big sprint on the course proper. With the going 17 metres out in the soft 5 range, Alabama Lass set off from the 1000m mark to run the distance in 1:03, and ramped things up from the 600m to record 34.6.
The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained mare has tightened up from last week’s Ellerslie trial and with Craig Williams set to continue his association with her, she is in the right order to go one better than her close second in last year’s Railway.
Race rivals Espionage and Sterling Express also got through solo work on the course proper, with Opie Bosson partnering Espionage over 1000m in 1:04.2 and 36.7, and trainer Mark Brosnan on Sterling Express over the same distance in 1:05.8 and 37.2.
Karaka Millions 2YO entries and their gallop mates were allowed to work against the rail in the five-metre position, where Te Akau pair Kinnaird (Bosson) and Zaharias (Hassman) cut out a smart 1000m in 1:01.5, the last 600m in 34.5. Longshot Zaharias worked every bit as well as equal favourite Kinnaird.
Stablemate Out of the Blue (Azrul) went with Almanzor Trophy candidate Belle Cheval (Bosson) over the same distance in 1:01.2 and 34.4. Wexford’s Karaka Millions 2YO candidate Dashing Dixie (Tynan) was paired with Almanzor Trophy runner L’Aigle Noir (L Singh) in a well-held 1000m in 1:04.1 and 36.3.
State The Obvious (Romero), who is on the borderline of a Karaka Millions 2YO start, went with Hawea (Pashwan) in smart work over 1000m in 1:01.2 and 34.
Affirmative Action (Rooke) and Romanoff (Parmar) were paired in a solid hitout ahead of the Karaka Millions 3YO, working away from the 1200m mark to cover the distance in 1:16.5, with the last 1000m in 1:03.2 and finishing off with 600m in 36.8. Ballymore’s 2000 Guineas quinella pair are peaking again at the right time.
Stablemates Now Not Never (Rooke) and Pericles (Parmar) got through similar strong work, running their 1200m in 1:16.2, 1:03.1 and 36.6. Off the back of his last-start MAAT win, Now Not Never is expected to make the cut for the Karaka Millions 3YO, while Pericles is likely to run in Saturday’s Taranaki Cup.
Romilly (Pashwan) worked well in blinkers ahead of the Ellerslie fillies and mares’ 1400 as she and Almanzor Trophy entry Cosmopolitan (Romero) cut out a slick 1000m in 1:01.8 and 35.3. Aotearoa Classic pair Smart Love (Mullineaux) and Checkmate (P Singh) were well matched over 1000m in 1:05.1, quickening in good style over the last 600m in 36.4.
Almanzor Trophy rivals King’s English (Bosson) and To Bravery Born (Azrul) reeled off 1000m in 1:03.2 and 35.6, while stablemates and race rivals In Haste (Hassman) and Drops Of God (Danis) returned 1:05 and 35.7.
Power Of Three (Bragg) prepared for the Ellerslie fillies and mares’ 1400m in company with Almanzor Trophy entry Landlock (Harris) over 1000m in 1:06.4 and 38.2. Shoes (Parmar), who runs in the Timaru Stakes at Riccarton on Saturday, completed her work with 600m in 36.8.
Stella Ma Bella (Bosson) and She Suits Herself (Hassman) prepared for the Oaks Prelude at New Plymouth on Saturday with 1200m in 1:18.4, 1:04.8 and 37.6. Others heading to New Plymouth included Hankee Alpha (Tynan), who returned 1:04.8 and 36.8 over 1000m, Bellish Boy (Shafiq) and Brazen Affair (Melvin), who took 1:05.2 and 35.7, and What You Wish For (Berge) 1:07.6 and 36.8.
Tristar (Tynan) was in good form over 1000m in 1:03.4 and 36.5, while Acer (Mullineaux) covered 1200m in 1:21.5, 1:06.4 and 38.4. Sesimbra (Ramsay) and Empirical (A Singh) were timed over 1000m in 1:04.2 and 38.1.