Last start winner Callsign Mav showed he has trained on the right way in preparation for Saturday’s Group 1 Windsor Park Plate at Hastings by turning in another good gallop on the course proper there this morning.
Fast work was mainly confined to the plough and No.1 grass but Callsign Mav and stablemate Miss Labasa were allowed to work about 15 metres out from the running rail on the course proper, where the footing was rated a dead-4.
Miss Labasa held a slight advantage over Callsign Mav in the early stages of their 1200m workout but the latter finished strongly to be marginally ahead on the line. He clocked 1:17.5 for the full distance, running the first 600 in 40.3 before coming home the last 600 in 37.2.
Callsign Mav finished third behind Melody Belle and Avantage in last year’s Windsor Park Plate (1600m) and is expected to be hard to beat again in this Saturday’s 1600m feature.
Miss Labasa hasn’t raced since March but finished fourth in a 950m Cambridge trial last month and will kick off a fresh campaign in the Open 1300m race at Hastings on Saturday.
Polar Blast and Tell A Story, two others in the John Bary stable, worked keenly together over 1000m on the No.1 grass, clocking 1:02.9 for the full distance, the last 600 in 34.8. They worked reasonably close to the inside plough track which made their time a lot quicker than if they had worked further out.
Bold Iris and Deny worked over the same ground in 1:01.5, the last 600 in 35.5 while a Jimmy Choux four-year-old gelding was in front of Wicket Maiden when they did similar work on the same track in 1:01.8, the last 600 in 35.3.
Shezzacatch, preparing for the Rating 74 race over 1200m at Hastings on Saturday, turned in a good solo workout on the plough when running 1000m in 1:09.9, the last 600 in 37.6 and final 400 in 23.3. She was impressive when winning a 1000m jumpout at Hastings last week.
Mohaka was restricted to just three-quarter pace when working on her own from the 1200m peg, clocking 42.4 for the last 600. She is being prepared for the Group 3 Taranaki Breeders Stakes (1400m) at Hawera on Saturday week.
Magic Incanto worked over two rounds on the No.1 grass, running the last 1000m in 1:07.4, the final 600 in 37.2. She will be stepped up to 2000m in the Open handicap at Hastings on Saturday.
No Rock No Pop was another who worked well on her own when running 1000m in 1:07.6, the last 600 in 36.9. She turned in a good performance for third over 1400m on the first day of the Bostock New Zealand spring carnival at Hastings and will be nominated for the Rating 74 1600m race on the second day this Saturday.
Overstayer worked in easily from the 1000m peg on the plough in 1:12, steadily increasing the speed to run home the last 600 in 39.9. He could head to Tauherenikau on Thursday of next week for a Rating 74 race over 2050m.
Secret Falls sprinted keenly over 600m on the plough in 35.7 while an O’Reilly’s Choice three-year-old gelding was not hurried when running over the same ground in 39.6.
One Dream One Soul worked in at three-quarter pace from the 800m peg on the plough and quickened slightly over the last 600 in 41.3. She won a 750m jumpout at Hastings last week and is likely to contest a 1000m maiden race at Tauherenikau next week.
A promising Turn Me Loose three-year-old gelding in the Lowry/Cullen stable ended his work with 400m in 25.2 and looked to be hitting out very well. He has recorded a win and a second in two Hastings jumpouts in the past month.
A Shocking four-year-old gelding in the Lowry/Cullen stable ended his work with 600m in 39.3 while a Savabeel-Irish Fling three-year-old filly from the same stable ran an easy 600m in 41.1.