The racing surface at the Hastings track was given another tick of approval after six heats of jumpouts were run on the course proper there today.

Jockeys, trainers and racing administrators were all happy with the way the track held up after 24 horses galloped on it.

It was the second set of jumpouts held on the track since the course proper underwent a complete renovation following the February 28 race meeting, which had to be abandoned after four races due to an unsafe racing surface.

New Zealand Thoroughbred chief operating officer Darin Balcombe has attended both lots of jumpouts and gave the racing surface a glowing appraisal today.

“It’s great,” he said. “The horses are just going into the top of it and there are no signs of movement.”

“There was some slight movement when we held the last lot of jumpouts three weeks ago but nothing today.”

Senior jockey Jonathan Riddell rode in all six heats today and described the surface as “lovely” while Hastings trainers Guy Lowry and John Bary were both happy with the way the track stood up to the use.

It is now all systems go for the next scheduled race meeting on the course, which is the Hawke’s Bay Hunt meeting on Saturday, June 29.

John Bary produced four of the six heat winners at today’s jumpouts including the speedy pair of Swazi and Flash Falcon, who took out the two 1000m heats.

Swazi clocked the fastest time when winning the open heat by 3-1/2 lengths in 1:01.46. The Choisir four-year-old has been freshened since finishing a close second over 1000m at Tauherenikau in early March.

Flash Falcon is a Mongolian Falcon three-year-old filly who scored a runaway 10 length win in a 750m jumpout at Hastings on May 13 and today she was kept under a hold when winning her 1000m heat by 3 lengths in a time of 1:03.53.

Some of the well performed jumpers in the Nelson/McDougal stable were also seen in action at the jumpouts, contesting a 2000m heat.

The Cossack, who is being prepared for the Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) on June 15, finished a close second behind Eyegeegee in the heat while Nedwin, who is likely to contest the Waikato Hurdle (3200m) on the same day, finished fourth.

RESULTS

Heat 1  |  2000m
Eyegeegee (L Zydenbos) 1, The Cossack 2, Taika 3. Five starters. Margins: Long neck, 2-1/4 lengths. Time: 2:15.87. Winner trained by Guy Lowry & Leah Zydenbos, Hastings.

Heat 2  |  750m
Detrimental (J Riddell) 1, Rageese 2yr-old gelding 2, Vespa 2yr-old filly 3. Three starters. Margins: 2-1/2 lengths, 4 lengths. Time: 49.44s. Winner trained by John Bary, Hastings.

Heat 3  |  750m
Alamosa 2yr-old gelding (K Hercock) 1, Belardo 2yr-old filly 2, Telperion 2yr-old filly 3. Three starters. Margins: Neck, 7 lengths. Time: 48.85s. Winner trained by Mick Brown & Sue Thompson, Hastings.

Heat 4  |  750m
Anushka Shesastar (J Riddell) 1, Turn Me Loose 3yr-old gelding 2, Falcons Diamond 3. Three starters. Margins: Long neck, ½ length. Time: 48.15s. Winner trained by John Bary, Hastings.

Heat 5  |  1000m
Flash Falcon (J Riddell) 1, Mongolian Falcon 4yr-old mare 2, Contributor-Mizem Peak 3yr-old filly 3. Five starters. Margins: 3 lengths, Long head. Time: 1:03.53. Winner trained by John Bary, Hastings.

Heat 6  |  1000m
Swazi (J Riddell) 1, Written Up 2, Who’s Sam 3. Five starters. Margins: 3-1/2 lengths, ½ length. Time: 1:01.46. Winner trained by John Bary, Hastings.