MATAMATA
Candidates for Saturday’s Proisir Plate all pleased their connections as they got through their main lead-up work at Matamata on Tuesday morning ahead of the opening Group One race of the season.
Except for Atmospheric and Lollapalooza, they had their raceday jockeys on board when working on the course proper, where the going was soft with the markers set at 18 metres.
Foxbridge Plate winner Alabama Lass (M McNab) did her usual solo work, picking up momentum from the 1000m mark to run the distance in 1:07.6. Without being pushed, she still managed to run the final 600m in 37.2, confirming that she has trained on well from her first-up Te Rapa win.
Waitak (C Grylls), who won the second and third legs of the spring treble last season, was also unextended as he completed his work with 1000m in 1:08.3 and 39.9. He is still carrying plenty of condition and will take a lot of benefit from his fresh-up run on the weekend.
Sterling Express (Hashizume) was in his usual trackwork mode when completing a leisurely 1200m in 1:29.8, steadily gathering momentum for a final 1000m in 1:12.8 and 600m in 41.6. Lupo Solitario (Leighton) was unhurried in the early stages of his work over 1000m in 1:09.4, finishing off with a smart 37.5 for the final 600m.
Lollapalooza (C Grylls) followed Zacabasso (Wilson-Taylor) through the early stages of a truly-run 1200m, recording 1:19.6 for the full distance and picking up ground well to finish alongside his stablemate at the end of 1000m in 1:06.4 and 600m in 39.6.
Atmospheric (Harris) was not timed as he and New Plymouth-bound Circus Dancer (S Collett) cut out a solid 1000m, hitting the line strongly. Sam Collett will ride Atmospheric in the Proisir Plate, while Lisa Allpress has been booked for Lollapalooza.
A number of starters in support races on the Ellerslie card also caught the eye, among them Afterglo (Sanson), who worked as well as ever with 1000m in 1:05.6 and 600m in 37.5. Sunline Vae entries Stromlinien (Pinn) and Latoya (Hashizume) were travelling well at the end of sharp work over 800m in 53.2 and 600m in 37.6.
Race rivals Pounce (Loki) and Dashing Dixie (Mullineaux) were well held in their hitout over 1000m in 1:09.4, the last 600m in 39.1. Getaway (L Pertab) and Towering Vision (Bosson) completed 1000m in 1:08.6 and 38.5, while Lotus (Nishizuka) and State The Obvious (Paswan) prepared for Ellerslie over 1200m in 1:22.6, 1:07.4 and 39.6.
Los Santos (Wilson-Taylor) was ridden along to shade Scaredoheights (S McKay) at the end of 1000m in 1:07.5 and 38.4. New Plymouth entry Diomedes (Hasman) was working well at the end of 1000m with Odds And Ends (Harris) in 1:06.5 and 37.6. It was decent work given it was later in session.
The Perfect One (Fawcett) was also in good form as he cut out 1000m in 1:12.6, quickening impressively for a final 600m in 37.3. Over 800m, Luminance (L Pertab) and Old Bill Bone (Harris) recorded 53.6 and 38.4.
Ellerslie entry Origin Of Love (Hassman) was paired with What You Wish For (Melvin) over ground, cutting out the last 1200m in 1:23.4 and 600m in 38.9, while Guipago (Hashizume) left 1200m behind in 1:22.6 and 40.4.
Stablemate Fly My Wey (M Brosnan) prepared for the open handicap at Ellerslie on the No.2 sand, where he was timed over 1200m in 1:20.2, 1:05.6 and 37.8.