The newly renovated racing surface at the Hastings track was given a tick of approval by riders after five horses were trialed in three separate workouts there this morning.
No horses have worked on the course proper since the last Hawke’s Bay race meeting, on February 28, had to be abandoned midway through the eight-race programme after jockeys deemed it unsafe to race on.
Since then the racing surface has undergone a major renovation, including scarifying and resowing the grass over the entire track.
Rosalita and Ten Sovereigns, two horses from the Lowry/Zydenbos stable, worked at speed up against the running rail on the course proper this morning and clocked 1:03.1 for 1000m, the last 600 in 35s. The riders of both horses said the track felt fine, with their mounts able to get good footing.
Trainer Mick Brown worked an inexperienced Tarzino three-year-old gelding on its own over 1000m on the course proper and kept his mount at three-quarter pace for the first 400m before increasing the speed over the last 600 in 37.9. He also said his mount had no difficulties working on the surface.
Two other unraced horses from the Lowry/Zydenbos stable, a Contributor-Mizem Peak three-year-old filly and one by Tarzino, also worked on the course proper but they were restricted to just three-quarter pace over 800m, running the last 600 in 44.7.
Hawke’s Bay Racing now plans to hold official jumpouts on the Hastings track next Monday with racing expected to resume on the course on Saturday, June 29.
There were only three other workouts timed at the track this morning and they were conducted on the plough.
Paradis worked in from the 1400m peg and was timed to come home the last 1000m in 1:17.4 and final 600 in 41.2. She is a Complacent four-year-old prepared by Fred Pratt and Caitlin Johnson who hasn’t raced since finishing third in a 2100m maiden at Otaki on April 1.
A Darci Brahma two-year-old filly trained by Richard McKenzie and Jordan Bassett, ran an easy 1000m in 1:12.4, the last 600 in 43 while a two-year-old Time Test filly from the same stable clocked 1:15 for 1000m, the last 600 in 44.