Hastings trainers Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos made the most of an opportunity to trial several of their well-performed horses locally on Thursday at Waipukurau.
Among their representatives was the promising Bedtime Story, making her first public appearance as a four-year-old in an Open 1000m trial. The daughter of Per Incanto won three of her seven starts last term, alongside a fourth placing in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m), won by subsequent Group One-winner Grail Seeker.
“She was just having a maintenance trial to keep her up to the mark and we were very happy with the way she trialled,” Lowry said.
“She was due to run at Wellington on Saturday, but due to heavy track conditions we will be looking elsewhere. She doesn’t need to start on a heavy track first-up.”
The mare travelled comfortably throughout her assignment and closed well under little pressure from rider Lily Sutherland, with a similar performance seen from her stablemate Poukawa in the same heat.
Lightly-tried with just three starts to his record, Poukawa broke maidens on debut before a flashing effort into third behind My Annie Belle at Taupo in late September. A slow start at Te Rapa hindered his chances last start, but Lowry had plenty of positives to take away from the effort.
“The track bias got him at Te Rapa, his sectionals suggested that it was a good run, he’s run around the 34 mark for the last 600m and I don’t think he could’ve done much more than that,” he said.
“He’s finished on, in what was earlier in the day, an on-pace day. I thought it was a very good effort considering he’s still learning, he’s still a bit of a baby and we’re looking forward to having his next run.
“He’s going along the lines of heading to Tauherenikau for a Rating 65 1300m race (November 10).”
The following heat featured Lowry’s own mare Candle, a three-race winner who finished less than a length off Shoes over 1200m at Te Rapa’s feature meeting earlier this month.
“Candle was very good, it was just a maintenance trial as well for her and she’ll go to Te Rapa on the 9th of November for a 75 1300m,” Lowry said.
“It’s a good feeling, the grassroots sort of racing, and all of the horses really enjoyed their outing today.
“The track was in great order, they really look after the stakeholders there.”