Members of the powerful Te Akau team being aimed at the final day of domestic Group One racing caught the eye as they prepared for Trentham at Matamata on Tuesday morning.
On the course proper, which was in good order 14 metres out, Seize The Day (Bosson) looked the part for his Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes assignment when paired with Colonel Warden (Hussain) over 1000m in 1:05.6, increasing momentum impressively for a final 600m in 37.2.
Seize The Day has trained on pleasingly from his impressive last-start win and rates a worthy favourite for Saturday’s two-year-old feature. It was good work also by Colonel Warden, who has had two trials ahead of his resuming run at Te Aroha on Saturday.
New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes rivals Quintessa and Captured By Love had their respective raceday riders Opie Bosson and Craig Grylls on board in well-held work over 1200m in 1:24.2, the last 1000m in 1:08.6 and 600m in 39.8. Both mares are in good order.
Qali Al Farrasha (Bosson), Te Akau’s third candidate for the Trentham weight-for-age feature, was accompanied Passion ’N’ Pride (C Grylls) in slightly quicker work, cutting out 1200m in 1:22.6, 1:06.8 and 37.4. Passion ’N’ Pride, who is entered for Tauranga on Sunday, did well to finish on terms with her well-performed stablemate.
Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes entry State The Obvious (S Collett) went with Marzenie (C Grylls) over 1000m in 1:08.3 and 38.2. Others to impress on the course proper were the Ballymore stablemates Shoes and Clear Conscience as they prepared for their Te Aroha engagements in solo gallops. Shoes (Nishizuka) was full of running over 1000m in 1:03.2 and 35.5, while Clear Conscience (Nishizuka) also wasted no time as she cut out the same distance in 1:04.4 and 36.6.
Pericles (Rastrick) strode over the last 1200m of his work in 1:21.5, 1:05.6 and 37.2, while Papparazzi (Nishizuka) and Wolf God (Rastrick) left 1000m behind in 1:07.8 and 38.
On the plough, in-form Trentham entry Basel Warrior was ridden by his trainer Jim Collett in smart work over 1000m in 1:04.2, the last 600m in 36.5. After wins in three of his last four starts, he will be an interesting runner when he steps up to stakes company in the Lightning Handicap at Trentham.
Latrelle (Harris) prepared for Trentham with Tauranga maiden entry Specialist (S Collett) over a truly-run 1000m in 1:02.6 and 36.8, while Ruby Rush (Doyle) and General Minari (Hashizume) worked in similar style to return 1:02.7 and 36.8.
Other gallops over 1000m included Paper Moon (Hassman) in 1:03.8 and 36.1, Landlock (Harris) 1:02.4 and 36.5, She’s All That (C Grylls) and Our Lurrina (Doyle) 1:03.2 and 36.8, Carajillo (Harris) and Paddy The Farmer (S Collett) 1:04.6 and 36.7, Capital Express (L Pertab) and War Queen (C Grylls) 1:04 and 36.2, Queen’s Evidence (Bosson) and Carsolio (Berge) 1:03.8 and 35.9, and Emma Twigg (Hassman) and Presence Of Mind (Bosson) 1:04.8 and 38.
Those to work over ground included Manawatu Classic candidate Acer (Leighton), who did well on her own to record 1:18.2, 1:03.7 and 37. In similar work Balance Of Power (Bosson) returned 1:19.2, 1:02.5 and 36.9, Romilly (Paswan) took 1:22.4, 1:06.5 and 38.5, Altari (Bosson) and Crown Princess (C Grylls) 1:20.3, 1:04.7 and 37.4, and Squire (P Brosnan) 1:23.9, 1:07.5 and 40.2.