Impressive hit outs by Fortunato, Stormcutter, Testwin and London were among the highlights at today’s Hastings trials.

There were 11 heats run on the course proper, where the rail was out five metres and the ground heavy.

The trials were a follow up to 13 heats of jumpouts held on the same track on April 7 and to test the track in readiness for a return to racing at the venue on May 21.

Stipendiary stewards John Oathan and Neil Goodwin were in attendance at today’s trials and, after inspecting the track and consulting with jockeys who rode in the heats, they gave it a tick of approval for the official race meeting to go ahead on May 21.

Fortunato turned in an eye-catching performance to win a Two-year-old Catchweight heat over 1000m after being very slow away. The Per Incanto gelding, from the Lowry/Zydenbos stable, was giving the leaders a good head-start on the home turn but produced a strong rails run to win by a long neck from stablemate Stormcutter, who was not fully extended.

Both Fortunato and Stormcutter were winners at the Hastings jumpouts on April 7.

Testwin only finished second in an Open heat over 1000m but could easily have won had rider Jonathan Riddell asked him for a serious effort over the final stages. The big Time Test gelding, winner of three races from only 10 starts, has had a good long build-up in preparation for another campaign and looks in great order.

London was another who only finished second in her Open 1000m heat but would have won had rider Bruno Queiroz extended her over the final stages. She is a promising filly by Capitalist in the Kevin and Stephen Gray stable and the winner of two races from three starts. She was balloted out of the Group 3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa last Saturday.

Wulfruna, a well-bred two-year-old filly by Wooton Bassett in the Kevin and Stephen Gray stable, clocked the quickest time of 48.53s when winning the first of the two 800m heats while La Chica Bella, trained at Opaki by Jim Wallace, scored a decisive 2½ length win in a maiden catchweight heat over 1000m.