Impressive wins by the two race winner Swazi, an unraced two-year-old filly by Time Test and unraced Mongolian Falcon three-year-old were among the highlights at today’s Hastings jumpouts.
There were seven heats run up against the running rail on the newly renovated course proper, four at 750m and three at 1000m.
The jumpouts were overseen by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Chief Operating Officer Darin Balcombe and stipendiary steward Neil Goodwin and both were pleased with the way the track stood up to the galloping.
The horses’ hooves were just breaking the surface and that was all.
“It is coming along really good,” Balcombe said.
“There is plenty of time to have another lot of jumpouts on the track before they race on it again on June 29 and by then it should be alright,” he added.
Swazi clocked the fastest time of the 750m heats when he scored a dominant three length win in the hands of experienced jockey Jonathan Riddell. The Choisir gelding jumped straight to the front and kept up a strong gallop to beat Penny Royal, with a gap back to third placed Royal Destroyer.
The speedy Swazi has recorded three minor placings over 1000m from his last three starts and deserves to break through for another win.
A Time Test two-year-old filly in Patrick Campbell’s stable won her 750m heat under a hold and clocked a good time of 48s. She won by a neck from a Sacred Falls three-year-old filly and they were well clear of the other two runners.
The winning Time Test filly is from the family of the VRC Derby winner Kibbutz.
A three-year-old filly by Mongolian Falcon in the John Bary stable showed her rivals a clean set of heels in another 750m heat, skying away to a big lead in the early stages and maintaining the advantage to win by 10 lengths. She clocked 48.82s.
RESULTS
Heat 1 - 750m
Turn Me Loose 3yr-old gelding (M Brown) 1, Alamosa 2yr-old gelding 2, Vespa 2yr-old filly 3. Four starters. Margins: Long neck, long head. Time: 54.63s. Winner trained by Mick Brown & Sue Thompson, Hastings.
Heat 2 - 750m
Time Test 2yr-old filly (K Hercock) 1, Sacred Falls 3yr-old filly 2, Contributor-Mizam Peak 3yr-old filly 3. Four starters. Margins: Neck, 4 lengths. Time: 48s. Winner trained by Patrick Campbell, Hastings.
Heat 3 - 750m
Mongolian Falcon 3yr-old filly (J Riddell) 1, Sneaking To Win 2yr-old filly 2, Sneaking To Win 2yr-old gelding 3. Four starters. Margins: 10 lengths, ½ length. Time: 48.22s. Winner trained by John Bary, Hastings.
Heat 4 - 750m
Swazi (J Riddell) 1, Penny Royal 2, Royal Destroyer 3.Four starters. Margins: 3 lengths, 3-1/2 lengths. Time: 46.31s. Winner trained by John Bary, Hastings.
Heat 5 - 1000m
Darci Brahma 2yr-old filly (K Hercock) 1, Time Test 2yr-old gelding 2, Zalia 3. Three starters. Margins: 2-1/4 lengths, 5 lengths. Time: 1:01.04. Winner trained by Richard McKenzie & Jordan Bassett, Hastings.
Heat 6 - 1000m
Time Test 2yr-old filly (K Hercock) 1, Mongolian Falcon 2yr-old filly 2, Karoshi 3. Three starters. Margins: 3-1/4 lengths, 5-1/2 lengths. Time: 60.84s. Winner trained by Richard McKenzie & Jordan Bassett, Hastings.
Heat 7 - 1000m
Duncan Creek (K Hercock) 1, I Am Jazz 2, Sefton 3. Three starters. Margins: 1 length, 2 lengths. Time: 1:02.53s. Winner trained by Patrick Campbell, Hastings.