MATAMATA
Born To Be Royal and Quenza prepared for their weekend engagements with sound work in very heavy conditions at Matamata on Tuesday morning.
After significant rain in the previous 24 hours, fast times were out of the question on the course proper with the markers set at 25 metres.
Born To Be Royal (Hassman) and Quenza (Bosson) completed 1000m in 1:11.4, with their last 600m in 41.5, good time in the conditions. The Te Akau pair are in good order, with Born To Be Royal, who is entered for Hastings on Saturday and Te Rapa on Sunday, a likely improver from her first-up fifth. Quenza, who also finished fifth in her first start this campaign, is set to run in the maiden 1500m at Te Rapa.
Thrill Of Flight (Sanson) and Classic Grace (Goodwin) who both run at Taupo on Friday, caught the eye when cutting out 1000m in 1:10.3 and 40.8. Ploy (S Collett) and Potcheen (Harris) did sound work ahead of the weekend when covering 1000m in 1:12.6 and 41.8.
Samurai Sword (Parmar), who runs in the Colin Meads Trophy at Hastings on Saturday, was paired with Taupo entry Whistlejacket (Wilson-Taylor) over a well-held 1000m in 1:15.2 and 42.4. Samurai Sword did well to finish close up in strong three-year-old company at Taupo last month, while Whistlejacket has good trial form ahead of his debut at Taupo.
Fiamma (Loki) and Rip Tide (Mullineaux) were also well contained as they prepared for Taupo over 1000m in 1:15.7 and 42.5. Hastings entry Faultless (S McKay) and Santa Catalina (Wilson-Taylor), who heads to Te Rapa, worked well over 1000m in 1:13.8 and 41.6.
Teenfoot Tall (Boyack) worked away strongly from the 1200m mark to run the distance in 1:25.6, with the last 1000m in 1:10.9 and 600m in 43. Also over ground, Taupo candidate The Darzi (Hashizume) left 1200m behind in 1:27.8, 1:13.4 and 43.8.
Joyeuse (Wilson-Taylor) and Imperialstatecrown (Paswan) were paired over 1000m in 1:12.5 and 42.2, while Little Bit Of Love (Mullineaux) and Coniston (Loki) weren’t asked for a lot over the same trip in 1:16.5 and 44.8.
Licorice (Leighton) worked solo over 1000m in 1:13.2 and 43.3, as did Ribkraka (Loki) in 1:17.2 and 44.6. State Of Play (Hassman) and Rise To Power (Azrul) were timed over 800m in 55.6 and 41.2.
Recent trial winner Getupoffathatthing (Safiq) finished his work with 600m in a respectable 40.6. Promising maidens The Queen’s Sword (Bosson) and Arrazola (Hassman), who both run at Taupo on Friday, ran their last 600m in 41.6.