Strong workouts by Hunta Pence and the stablemates Podium and Deva Dynasty were the highlights at today’s Hastings trackwork session.
Fast work was confined to the plough, which provided good footing.
Hunta Pence worked on his own and came in from the 1000m peg in 1:03.2, running the first 400m in an easy 27.8 before sprinting home the last 600 in 35.4.
The No Excuse Needed 10-year-old lines up in Friday’s $70,000 Taupo Cup (2000m), a race he won last year. In-form apprentice Lily Sutherland will ride him and claim a 3kg allowance.
Podium and Deva Dynasty worked together over 1000m in 1:04.2, running the first 400m in an easy 28.9 before sprinting quick over the last 600 in 35.3. They are both entered for Saturday’s Hawke’s Bay meeting, where Podium will contest the Rating 75 race over 1400m and Deva Dynasty will line up in a maiden 1400.
Love Letter, who contests the Rating 65 race over 1600m at Hastings, ran a solo 1000m in 1:06.4, the last 600 in 36.8. She went an improved race at Trentham last start, where she was forced to cover plenty of extra ground in the running.
Matt Cain worked on his own over 1000m in 1:08.5, the last 600 in 36.4 while No Bid clocked 1:02.7 for a solo 1000m, the last 600 in 36.6.
No Bid could start at either Hastings on Saturday or Tauherenikau next Monday.
Belcamina and Darwin, both entered for the maiden 1200m race at Hastings, worked easily together over 1000m in 1:11, the last 600 in 38.6 while River Dance was not hurried when running 1000m in 1:06, the last 600 in 38.7.
Wewillrock, who looks to be coming up well in a fresh campaign, was kept under a hold over 800m in 54.6, the last 600 in 38.9 while Shezzadream worked in at three-quarter pace from the 1000m peg and quickened slightly over the last 600 in 38.7.
A Mongolian Falcon three-year-old gelding in Vicki Wilson’s stable worked in from the 1000m peg and was timed to run the last 800m in 50.8, the final 600 in 36.6.
A Time Test two-year-old filly and one by Mongolian Khan, both trained by Fred Pratt and Caitlin Johnson, were only let stride out over the last 400m when running 600 in 40.9 while a Wrote three-year-old gelding trained by Dean Howard clocked 58.7 for an easy 800m, the last 600 in 41.3.