Pablo Esk showed he has trained on the right way since his game last start win by turning in another sound gallop at this morning’s Hastings track session.
Fast work was mainly confined to the plough, which provided heavy footing.
A penetrometer reading was taken on the course proper during the session and came up as a slow-9.
Pablo Esk worked on his own over 800m in 51.2, running the first 200m in 13.6 and coming home the last 600 in 37.6.
The Alamosa four-year-old won a Rating 74 race over 1400m at Te Rapa two weeks ago and is likely to start in a similar race at Hastings this Saturday, providing track conditions are not too testing.
Estefania worked early in the session and was not timed when running a solo 800m. She was a close last start second over 1400m at Trentham and will be entered for the Rating 65 race over 1400m at Hastings this Saturday. Any more rain will enhance her chances.
The jumper Kipkeino had trainer Lucy de Lautour aboard when working over 1200m in 1:25.5, the last 600 in 39.4. He was found to have suffered an atrial heart fibrillation when pulled up in the hurdle race at Trentham earlier this month.
Shez Ekstra ran a solo 1200m in 1:23.1, the last 600 in 40.3. She has been undergoing plenty of beachwork and could head to the trials at either Foxton or Taupo next Tuesday.
Veloce Sorella, in the Vicki Wilson stable, took the time honours for 600m when she sprinted over the ground in 35.6s. She was unplaced when resuming from a spell over 1400m at Hastings last month.
Briar was let off with 1000m at three-quarter pace, clocking 1:13.1 for the full distance and 44s for the last 600m. She is a filly by Sacred Falls in the Lowry/Cullen stable who was unplaced when resuming from a spell over 1360m at Wanganui two weeks ago.
A Super Easy-Flare three-year-old gelding in the Lowry/Cullen stable ended his work with 600m in 44.1 while a Super Easy four-year-old mare in Vicki Wilson’s stable ended her work with 600m in 41.
An Alamosa filly and an Ekraar gelding, both trained by Fred Pratt, worked together over 600m on the No.1 grass in 40.5.
Hunta Pence, who could contest the open 2100m race at Hastings on Saturday, looked keen to go faster when doing pacework over two rounds on the plough while My Tommy, a runner in the maiden hurdle race on Saturday, did similar work.