Cosentino, Wave On By, Thunder Squirrel and Sandbar were among the more impressive winners at today’s Waipukurau trials.
There were 16 heats run up against the running rail on the course proper, which rated a soft-5.
Cosentino led throughout when scoring a dominant three length win in the Open Catchweight heat over 1200m, clocking 1:12.87. The El Roca five-year-old is trained by Kevin and Stephen Gray and is the winner of four races from only 14 starts. He has not raced since January but has had three trials in the last month for two thirds and a win.
Wave On By, another from the Gray stable, only won by half a head in a maiden catchweight heat over 1000m but could have won by more and clocked a fast time of 58.90s. He is a four-year-old by U S Navy Flag and has now won three barrier trials.
Thunder Squirrel took the time honours among the 1000m heat winners when he produced a strong finish to take out a maiden three-year-old heat in 58.65s. He is a gelding by Churchill trained by Jo Rathbone and had one start for a fifth last season.
Sandbar is another who produced a strong finishing burst to win her 1000m heat by half a length and clocked 59.71. She is a three-year-old filly prepared by Awapuni trainer Matthew Eales who has had one start this season for a fifth, on a heavy track, at Woodville last month.
Lucullan, Sir Dougal, Future Fortune and Diavoletto were other good winners at the trials while Toronto, Ezzie and Park In The Bar were second placegetters who also produced eye-catching runs.
RESULTS
Heat 1: TWO-YEAR-OLD, 600m: Solid State (Leah Hemi) 1, Star Marie 2, Lafayette 3. Four starters. Margins: ½ length, ½ length. Time: 34.68s. Winner trained by Hamish Auret, Wanganui.
Heat 2: OPEN CATCHWEIGHT, 850m: Lucullan (Toni Davies) 1, Bona Sforza 2, Abbakiss 3. Eight starts. Margins: 1 length, 2-1/2 lengths. Time: 49.59s. Winner trained by Peter and Trent Didham, Awapuni.
Heat 3: MAIDEN 3-YR-OLD, 850m: Blueprint (Lily Sutherland) 1, Riverside 2, Ardent Belle 3. Five starters. Margins: 2 lengths, long neck. Time: 52.03s. Winner trained by Kevin Myers, Wanganui.
Heat 4: MAIDEN CATCHWEIGHT, 850m: Buckfast Abbey (Bruno Queiroz) 1, Belle Coeur 2, Hangup 3. Five starters. Margins: ½ length, ½ length. Time: 51.44s. Winner trained by Bryce Newman, Awapuni.
Heat 5: OPEN CATCWEIGHT, 1000m: Atavus (Floor Moerman) 1, Toronto 2, Blue Jeanie 3. Eight starters. Margins: 1 length, long neck. Time: 1:01.06. Winner trained by Shaun & Hazel Fannin, Awapuni.
Heat 6: OPEN CATCHWEIGHT, 1000m: Furiosa (Floor Moerman) 1, Procul Boy 2, Jack Morrison 3. Seven starters. Margins: Head, long head. Time: 60.43s. Winner trained by Mathew Eales, Awapuni.
Heat 7: MAIDEN 3-YR-OLD, 1000m: Thunder Squirrel (Kelly Myers) 1, Fast And Loose 2, Tarmac 3. Eight starters. Margins: 1 length, 2-1/4 lengths. Time: 58.65s. Winner trained by Jo Rathbone, Wanganui.
Heat 8: MAIDEN 3-YR-OLD, 1000m: Sandbar (Kavish Chowdhoory) 1, Park In The Bar 2, Steelio 3. Seven starters. Margins: ½ length, long neck. Time: 59.71. Winner trained by Matthew Eales, Awapuni.
Heat 9: MAIDEN 3-YR-OLD 1000m: Sir Dougal (Chris Dell) 1, Stormcutter 2, Woolf 3. Seven starters. Margins: Head, nose. Time: 1:01.21. Winner trained by Shaun & Hazel Fannin, Awapuni.
Heat 10: MAIDEN CATCHWEIGHT, 1000m: Future Fortune (Rohan Mudhoo) 1, Ezzie 2, Timothy 3. Six starters. Margins: Neck, 2 lengths. Time: 60.47s. Winner trained by Kevin & Stephen Gray, Palmerston North.
Heat 11: MAIDEN CATCHWEIGHT, 1000m: Wave On By (Lisa Allpress) 1, Just A Prize 2, Swiffty 3. Seven starters. Margins: half a head, 1-3/4 lengths. Time: 58.90s. Winner trained by Kevin & Stephen Gray, Palmerston North.
Heat 12: OPEN CATCHWEIGHT, 1200m: Cosentino (Bruno Queiroz) 1, Monroe 2, Kawatiri 3. Eight starters. Margins: 3 lengths, 1-1/4 lengths. Time: 1:12.87. Winner trained by Kevin & Stephen Gray, Palmerston North.
Heat 13: MAIDEN 3-YR-OLD 1200m: And So We Pray (Jim Chung) 1, Mour Cow Belle 2, Dubai’s Fury 3. Five starters. Margins: Head, long neck. Time: 1:16.32. Winner trained by Roydon Bergerson, Awapuni.
Heat 14: MAIDEN CATCHWEIGHT, 1200m: Diavoletto (Lily Sutherland) 1, Merroca 2, Out Of Time 3. Five starters. Margins: Head, 4 lengths. Time: 1:12.79. Winner trained by Adrian Bull, Hunterville.
Heat 15: MAIDEN CATCHWEIGHT, 1200m: Savachi Boy (Kavish Chowdhoory) 1, Satomi 2, Buzzy Bee 3. Five starters. Margins: 2 lengths, half a head. Time: 1:14.00. Winner trained by John Bary, Hastings.
Heat 16: MAIDEN CATCHWEIGHT, 1400m: Queen Of France (Chris Dell) 1, Lord Gusto 2, Edison 3. Seven starters. Margins: 1-1/2 lengths, 3 lengths. Time: 1:24.68. Winner trained by Shaun & Hazel Fannin, Awapuni.