Freddie Time has been Southland trainer Kelvin Tyler’s sole representative in the north over the last couple of months, but the Southland trainer has sent up some reinforcements as he looks to plunder the spoils on offer at Trentham in the coming weeks.
“There is a bit of safety in numbers, I have brought some nice horses up,” Tyler said. “They are big and strong fields though, so we certainly aren’t getting ahead of ourselves.”
Stakes performer Prince Alby has returned north to target the Gr.3 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at the end of the month, while Indie Ardie and Sight To See are looking to cement their place in the $350,000 Life Direct Remutaka Classic (2100m) at the same meeting.
The trio arrived at Otaki last week and Tyler has been pleased with how they have settled in.
“I couldn’t be happier with them,” he said. “They have been up here for eight or nine days now and they have just settled in as they normally do up here at Howie and Lorraine’s (Mathews).”
They have joined Freddie Time, who has been in great form for Tyler in the Central Districts this season, particularly in the last six weeks where he has won at Otaki before placing in the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) and Listed Marton Cup (2200m) at Trentham.
He will return to the Upper Hutt track on Saturday to contest the Gr.3 Totara Lodge Trentham Stakes (2100m) before he likely heads for a well-deserved freshen-up.
“He has been really good and I thought his gallop on Tuesday morning was outstanding,” Tyler said. “A wet track won’t bother him. He is only a young horse, being four, but he is thriving at the moment and I am sure he will go another good race.
“There’s a good chance he will have a freshen-up after this for two or three weeks and maybe get him back in the autumn for some nice races.”
He will be joined in Saturday’s contest by Prince Alby, who ran fourth in the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton in November before finishing last over 2200m at Wingatui on Boxing Day, and Tyler said the Trentham Stakes was his sole option as a lead-in race to the Wellington Cup.
“With the programme changes there is just no lead-up for the stayers into the Wellington Cup, so they have got to run in a stakes race,” Tyler said. “It’s lucky the rain has come otherwise they would just go too fast for a lot of these stayers.”
Tyler has been pleased with the progression of Sight To See and Indie Ardie, with both mares set to tackle Saturday’s Hardy Trade Supply Co 2200 ahead of the Remutaka Classic.
“They are two handy wee mares on their way up,” Tyler said. “They have a decent amount of ability and hopefully everything goes well and we can get them into the Remutaka, which is a great race for their rating.
“They are genuine horses, they try hard and you always know you are going to get the best out of them.
“It is a big field, so they are going to need a bit of luck.”
Closer to home, Tyler will be represented by a trio of runners at Wingatui on Saturday, including Mamaea in the Skevingtons Waikouaiti Open 2200, last-start winner Fourofus in the ODT Southern Mile 65 1600 and Flash Roca in the ODT Southern Mile 75 1600.
“They are quite well placed in those races, but they are strong fields,” Tyler said. “The horses are all well and the best chance of mine there could be Fourofus.”