Our Boyfriend works well at Hastings

Press, 9 May 1985, Page 34

Our Boyfriend works well at Hastings

Special correspondent Hastings Our Boyfriend has come through Saturday’s Gloaming Stakes win well and it is now all systems go for his proposed trip to Brisbane. The Roi Lear gelding ran two rounds of pacework on the sand at the Hastings track on Tuesday morning and went very keenly for his rider, Stuart Jones. His trainer, Marlene Todd, is thrilled with the way Our Boyfriend has progressed and said the gelding is booked to fly to Australia on May 21. He is expected to have his first race there in the weight-for-age P. J. O’Shea stakes (2400 m on June 1. “He’s not a weight-for-age horse but he’ll run in that one as a lead-up to the Cup,” said Todd. The $155,000 Brisbane Cup (3200 m on June 10 is the main mission for Our Boyfriend. “If he needs another one before that, then there is a race for him on June 8,” Todd said. A fellow Hastings galloper, Prenora, is also heading for Brisbane and is expected to fly out next week, accompanied by the trainer, Ray Howell. The consistent Prince Tudor, mare is likely to be aimed at races like the $105,000 Prime Ministers Cup (2015 m on May 22 and $200,000 Fourex Cup (2200 m on July 13. Galloping at the Hastings track on Tuesday morning was done on the plough, which was in good order after five days of fine weather and work on it over the last few days. Bay Stardust, preparing for Saturday’s Wellington meeting, ran a solo 800 m in 50.25, the last 600 m in 37.95. She has been placed three

times from four starts and should notch a win before long. All Pink schooled over six battens in the centre and then sprinted a fast 800 m in 49.25, the last 600 m in 36.65. The trainer, Hank Askes, intends to run the mare in a middle-distance trial at Waipukurau next Tuesday, before stepping her up to hurdle races later in the winter. Pink Dazzler, another member of Hank Askes’s team preparing for a hurdling career, schooled well over nine battens. Telestar was not pushed when running 600 m on the plough in 38.95. She is preparing for the Thorndon Handicap at Trentham on Saturday. Hilladi cleared out from Go Lady in their 600 m gallop, running home strongly in 36.55. Hilladi has been working well for some time. Bonnette and Fleet Pulse recorded 53.4 s for an easy 800 m, the final 600 m in 39.15. Bonnette is in the final race at Trentham on Saturday and could show up in the 1600 m event.