Stablemates Matinee and Moonlight Hustler, both preparing for Saturday’s Otaki meeting, recorded one of the best workouts at this morning’s Hastings track session.
Fast work was confined to the plough, which provided reasonably good footing considering there has been more rainfall on the track in the past week.
Matinee and Moonlight Hustler, two members of Kate Hercock’s stable, worked in from the 1000m peg together. They ran the first 400m in an easy 31.4s before quickening appreciably over the last 600 in 37s. Both horses are likely starters in the Rating 65 race over 1600m at Otaki.
Raucous, who lines up in the open steeplechase at Te Rapa on Saturday, worked on his own over a couple of rounds, putting the pace on over the last 1200m in 1:22.4, the final 600 in 38.9. He was a last start winner over the big fences at Te Rapa and promises to be hard to beat again.
His stablemate Taika is entered for the open hurdle race at Te Rapa and he was striding out well at the end of his workout, running the last 1000m in 1:08.2, the final 600 in 38.6.
Pep Torque, in his first serious gallop since returning from a spell, did well to sprint 600m in 37.5 while stablemate Zappa Jak also sprinted 600m in 37.8. He lines up on the Awapuni synthetic track on Thursday.
Bahia Emerald, another who may run at Awapuni on Thursday, ran a solo 800m in 53.4, the last 600 in 38.7. She turned in a much improved performance for fourth over 1650m on her home track last week.
Mermaid had trainer Simon Wilson aboard when running an easy 800m in 58.5, the last 600 in 39.4 while Courvoisier ran over the same ground in 55.3, the last 600 in 39.8.
The Guy Lowry-trained pair of Love Letter and Eparaima worked together over 800m in 53.6, the last 600 in 39.3. They have both been undergoing beach training at Mary Darby’s Porangahau property.
Khan’s Clown, another likely starter on the Awapuni synthetic track on Thursday, worked over 1000m at three-quarter pace, clocking 43.6 for the last 600 while a Showcasing four-year-old mare trained by Kirsty Lawrence ended her work with an easy 600m in 42.6.
Real Slim Tradie was also not pressured when running a solo 1000m in 1:11.4, the last 600 in 41.1.