MATAMATA

Volunteer and Chante Moi drew attention to their Tauranga weekend prospects with sparkling work at Matamata on Tuesday morning.

Galloping on the plough, Volunteer (Jodha) and Chante Moi (Wratten) set off at a solid rate from the 1200m mark and completed the distance in 1:17.6. They cut out the last 1000m in 1:01.8 and ran all the way to the line for a final 600m in 35.5. 

Even allowing that they had early use of the plough after its mid-session dressing, it was excellent work by the Richardson/Norvall-trained pair and showed they are in forward order for their fresh-up assignments in Saturday’s Rating 75 1400.

Stablemate Lollapalooza (Paswan) was also in good form as she cut out a solo 1200m in 1:19.8, 1:04.5 and 36.8. With encouraging runs at her last two starts, Lollapalooza is set to make her middle-distance debut this weekend at either Tauranga or Otaki. 

Levakia (McNab) was another to get through sound solo work in preparation for the open middle-distance at Tauranga, timed from the 1200m in 1:19.4, 1:04.6 and 37.2 without being pressured. The Ken Kelso-trained mare looks improved for her last-start third in her first run over ground this campaign. 

Afterglo (Sanson), who was balloted out of the feature 1600 at Trentham last weekend, was in her usual dashing form as she cut out the last 1000m of her work in 1:01.8 and 35.6. She looks well placed in the Rating 76 1600 at Otaki on Saturday. 

L’Aigle Noir (Mullineaux) and Genki (Goldsbury) prepared for Tauranga with smart work over 1000m in 1:02.4 and 36.2. Ploy (S Collett) and Paddy The Farmer (Sherwood) also worked in good style over 1200m in 1:18.2, 1:03 and 36.4. 

Tauranga entries Bulgari (D Weatherley) and Tailoresse (Watts-Wright) left 1000m behind in 1:02.8 and 36.6, while Silhouette (Harris) and The Prophet (Sherwood) covered the same ground in 1:05 and 37.8. 

Also over 1000m, Ohope’s Goodenuff (Goldsbury) and Nitro Point (Mo) returned 1:04 and 37.2, Altari (Bosson) and Emma Twigg (Hassman) 1:04.8 and 36.6. In easier work over the same distance, El Viento (McNab) took 1:08.8 and 39.5, Le Fleur (Holliday) 1:09.8 and 39.2, and Landlock (Harris) 1:08.2 and 39.4.

Sonoran (Prendergast) and Ma Baker (Watts-Wright) got through strong work over ground, the last 1200m in 1:18.2, 1:02.4 and 37. Typhoon Lucy (McNab) and She Suits Herself (Hassman) completed 1200m in 1:18.8, 1:03.6 and 36.4, Sweet But Psycho (Goldsbury) recorded 1:26.2, 1:09.6 and 39.6, and Lodi Dodi (Paswan) took 1:28.5, 1:12.2 and 41.2. 

On the No.1 sand Tauranga entries Tianti (Winter) and Sarti (McNab) were paired in a well-run 1000m in 1:03.6 and 36.5.