Trackwork

Press, 14 September 1988, Page 51

Trackwork

Awapuni Special correspondent Palmerston North Smiling Belle is one of a likely team of Awapuni horses which will be campaigned at the two-day Blenheim meeting this week-end. Smiling Belle has been running solid races and she worked well enough yesterday at Awapuni to suggest she will show up on Friday. Zane Robinson is taking Buckle Up, Silver Tango and Diamante’s Fortune south, while Bronze Valley will represent the Margaret Bull stable. Smiling Belle is in the Consolidated Stayers’ Plate. Yesterday she worked on the course proper, going easily to the 600 m and running home in 40. The track was extremely heavy and testing over the last 400 m or so and Smiling Belle was not overtaxed in the run home. Avitt and Irish Boe, preparing for the Honda Mile at the Marton meeting at Awapuni on Saturday, ran 1200 m in 1.25, Irish Boe finishing ahead over the last 600 m in 41. He will have the track to suit him this week-end. Avitt has a good record at Awapuni and will add interest to the feature race. 1 Statement required 1:13.6 for an easy 1000 m, the last 600 m in 42.6 and Four Plus Four, engaged at the Marlborough meeting on Friday, ran home 600 m in 38. Bronze Valley and Twenty Four Carat were timed over 1200 m in 1.27, the last 600 m in 43. Bronze Valley will be hard to beat in the Devanny Cup Trial on Friday. True Sobina and Red Shari sprinted 600 m in 41 and Keswick, engaged at both the Marlborough and Manawatu meetings, worked well with a Kaoru Zephyr horse from the 1200 m, taking 1.29, the last 600 m in 44.

Melbeck and Fort Cheval, both due to resume at Otaki next week, were not hurried to complete 800 m in 56, the last 600 m in 41.6, Melbeck will be better for an outing or two.

Norfolk Duke seemed to handle the ground well when running 1200 m in 1.24, the last 600 m in 40.6. This was a good trial for his race here at Awapuni on Saturday. Sophie’s Secret and Lord Pegasus were easing at the end of 1200 m in 1.28, the last 600 m in a slow 45.4. Sophie’s Secret could go a good race on Saturday. She will carry only 48kg. Hastings Special .Correspondent Hastings There was little in the way of fast work at Hastings yesterday with most horses entered for today’s Hawke’s Bay meeting restricted to pacework. Galloping was done on the plough where the ground was easy. Dry weather and strong winds over the last couple of days has further dried the course proper which is now considerably firmer than it was for the first day of the meeeting last Saturday. The Hawke’s Bay Guineas candidate, Come Racing, paraded in great order and worked keenly over a round on the plough, running home his last 1000 m at three-quar-ter pace. He found a soft track against him in the Wanganui Guineas last start but still managed a good fourth and should go well in today’s 1400 m event. Grant Cooksley rides him.

Doctor Sam (Treweek), preparing for the Honda Prelude Hurdles at Saturday’s Marton meeting, jumped neatly over five batten fences and then galloped 1000 m in 1:7.2, the last 600 m in 39.65.

The stablemates, Capable Rullah and Fogelboy, both worked early and were not timed in their separate gallops over 800 m. Trainer Keith Flynn intends taking both horses south for the twoday Marlborough meeting, next Friday and Monday. David Walsh has been booked to ride Capable Rullah. Wingatui Special correspondent .Dunedin Fondessa and Fiesta*’Point returned a sensational gallop at Wingatui yesterday morning in preparation for the Otago Racing Club’s meeting on Saturday. The stablemates clocked 46.8 for 800 m on the plough. Even allowing for wind assistance and a fast track, it was an exceptional time. Powley is widely regarded as the fastest track worker in recent years on the plough at Wingatui with times in the vicinity of 47 for 800 m.

Fondessa and Fiesta Point took 35.8 for the last 600 m and were not hard pressed. Fiesta Point was wearing blinkers and he is to race in them on Saturday. It is hoped blinkers will counter his reluctance to take gaps in his races. He finished fifth in the Grigg Stakes at Ashburton last week. Fiesta Point is in a race for one-win horses this week. Fondessa, which has won two races, is engaged in the Cl Brunton Handicap (1200 m Trainer, John Heasley, would have preferred a C 3 event but the 1400 m distance is not suitable. Fondessa is aiming at the early races in the Wrightson Southern Filly series. The first is the Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200 m at Riccarton on September 30. Fondessa could step up to 1400 m in the Princess Mellay Stakes at Gore on October 22.