Duncan Creek indicated he has trained on well since his last start win with a strong solo workout at this morning’s Hastings trackwork session.
Fast work was mainly confined to the plough and No.1 grass, both providing soft footing.
Two horses, Epairama and Candle, were allowed to work close to the running rail on the course proper to gauge what the footing was like leading up to Saturday’s third day of the Colliers Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival.
They galloped over 800m in 53s, the last 600 in 37.6 and both were striding out well at the finish.
Epairama lines up in the Rating 65 race over 1400m at Hastings on Saturday while Candle will contest the Rating 75 race over 1200m.
Duncan Creek worked in strongly from the 1000m peg on the plough in 1:03.1, clocking 26.8 for the first 400m before sprinting home the last 600 in 36.3. He was a game winner in a Rating 75 race over 1200m at Woodville on September 21 and steps up to 1400m in the same grade on Saturday. Joe Doyle has been booked to ride him again.
Shezzacatch, preparing for the Rating 75 race over 1200m on Saturday, was another who worked well today when sprinting 600m in 35.8s. She has not raced since April but had an exhibition gallop between races at Woodville on September 21 and a jumpout at Waipukurau last week to help prepare her for her fresh up assignment.
Belcamina and Grid Girl worked together over 1000m on the plough in 1:06.8, the last 600 in 37.3 and are two others from Guy Lowry’s stable likely to race on their home track this Saturday. Belcamina will contest the Rating 65 race over 2200m and Grid Girl is in the three-year-old set weights & penalties race over 1300m.
Bahia Emerald worked with Bellesgirl over 1000m on the No.1 grass in 1:06.1, the last 600 in 37.5 with Bellesgirl likely to start next at the Woodville meeting on October 20.
One Dream One Soul, who lines up in the Rating 75 race over 2000m at Hastings on Saturday, worked over a round on the plough and was timed to run the last 1200m in 1:27.2 and final 600 in 40.4.
Herself, another entered for the Rating 75 race over 2000m, worked with Love Letter over 1000m on the plough in 1:10, the last 600 in 39 while Come On Eileen ran a solo 1000m on the same track in 1:04.5, the last 600 in 37.4.