MATAMATA

Horses preparing for Friday’s Te Rapa meeting and the big Group One raceday at Hastings on Saturday made for a busy training session at Matamata on Tuesday morning.

The majority of fast work took place on the course proper, where the markers were set at 23 metres and the going was heavy.

Defending Howden Insurance Mile contendor Waitak was ridden by his regular jockey Craig Grylls as he got through his standard solo hitout, completing 1200m in 1:24.8 and maintaining a steady clip for a final 1000m in 1:08.4 and 600m in 39.8. The O’Sullivan/Scott-trained gelding took significant improvement from his first-up run and although still below peak fitness, he’s too good to ignore when he steps up to 1600m on the weekend.

Race rival Sterling Express (Hashizume) was paired with Wolfgang (S McKay) in a well-run 1000m in 1:06.8, the last 600m in 38.9. Sterling Express was well below his best in the Proisir Plate but deserves another chance, while Wolfgang seems none the worse for his disappointing last-start effort and should enjoy the return to Hastings and the step up to 2000m.

Gold Trail Stakes entry Hawea (Pinn) was accompanied by Zacabasso (Wratten) in a solid hitout over 1000m in 1:07.2 and 39.8. Since her impressive Taupo win last month, Hawea has been kept up to the mark with a trial win and looks sharp for her Hastings test. Although at a lesser tempo, race rivals Pounce (C Grylls) and Dashing Dixie (Mullineaux) also got through their work well as they strode over 1000m in 1:12.2 and 41.2. They appear to have trained on well from the Sunline Stakes.

Te Rapa race rivals Bolli Belle (Hassman) and Zantabulous (Melvin) cut out a smart 1000m in 1:06.8, the last 600m in 38.2. Origin Of Love (Wilson-Taylor), another Te Akau runner in the Rating 75 1600 at Te Rapa, ran a solo 1000m in 1:09.8 and 40.6, while Te Rapa three-year-old 1200 candidates With A Vengeance (M McNab) and Stromlinien (Pinn) did good work over the same distance in 1:08.3 and 39.

Circus Dancer (S Collett) and Cheerio (Harris) prepared for Te Rapa over 1000m in 1:10.2 and 40.2, while stablemates Bradley (Cameron) and Paddy The Farmer (Harris) ran the same distance in 1:09.9 and 40.4. 

What You Wish For (Bosson) and Bright Stripes (Shafiq), rivals in the open 1500m at Te Rapa, cut out 1200m in 1:23.6, 1:09.6 and 39.8, while The Frenchman (Parmar) and Licorice (Leighton) left 1000m behind in 1:09.5 and 40.2. 

Te Rapa entries Vito (D Weatherley) and Kalgarry Ally (Watts-Wright) had good pace on throughout 1000m in 1:07.2 and 40.6. Over the same ground Basel Warrior (J Collett) returned 1:10.6 and 39.8, Passion ’N’ Pride (M McNab) and Uptown (Bosson) took 1:07.8 and 39.4, Party Time (S Collett) 1:10.2 and 40.8 and Romanin (J Ritchie) 1:11.4 and 41.2.

Odds And Ends (Cameron) and The Prophet (Sherwood) were timed over 800m in 53.8 and 39.7, while last-start winner Tiago (Nishizuka) ran his 800m in 56.4 and 40.2.  

On the No.1 sand, Spencer (Wilson-Taylor) and Scaredoheights (C Grylls) prepared for their respective Te Rapa and Hastings engagements with smart work over 1000m in 1:03.6 and 36.2.