Last start winner Exit Left was one of 14 horses who worked on the course proper at this morning’s Hastings trackwork session to test the racing surface before Thursday’s Hawke’s Bay race meeting.
A penetrometer reading was taken during the session and came up as a heavy-8, after 7.5 millimetres of rain overnight.
Senior jockey Jonathan Riddell came through from Palmerston North and was aboard most of the horses that worked on the course proper. He said the track was definitely heavy and that his mounts were going right into the ground but, most importantly, it provided safe footing.
One horse worked up against the inside rail while others worked a few horse widths out from the rail and others worked wider out. The general opinion was that the ground provided an even surface right across the track.
Exit Left had Jonathan Riddell aboard when working in from the 1200m peg on the course proper in 1:26.5, running the first 600 in an easy 47.1 before quickening slightly over the last 600 in 39.4.
Co-trainer Mick Brown said the Turn Me Loose gelding rarely excels in trackwork but is a different horse on race day. He was an impressive winner over 1650m at Waverley last start and will be stepped up to 2040m at Wanganui on Saturday week.
Ocean Blue clocked the best time of the horses that worked on the course proper when he ran a solo 800m in 55.5, the last 600 in 38.9. He is a two-year-old by U S Navy Flag in the Lowry/Zydenbos stable who won a 1000m Foxton trial back in February.
Stranger, Hey Margarita and a Contributor two-year-old worked together, wide out on the course proper, and were timed to run their last 600m in 42.8 while last start winner Charlunga worked early in the session and was timed to run his last 600m on the course proper in 42.4.
Mount Cook, back in full work after a lengthy break, worked in from the 1000m peg on the course proper in 1:15.6, coming home the last 600 in 42.5 while Trust Alone worked over 1200m on the same track in 1:29.6, the last 600 in 42.8.
An Ardrossan two-year-old and one by Ghibillines, both in the Lowry/Zydenbos stable, ended their work on the course proper with 600m in 43.8 while Popsicles worked out wide on the same track and clocked 1:13.9 for 1000m, the last 600 in 42.7.
Wave was one of only a few horses to gallop on plough and ran an easy 800m in 58.4, the last 600 in 41.3 while stablemate Kayzino worked over the same ground in 59.1, the last 600 in 43.5.