Talented mare Bedtime Story (NZ) (Per Incanto) will be out to add to her recent black-type status at Arawa Park on Saturday, lining up in the Gr.3 Rotorua ITM Stakes (1400m).
Patiently handled by Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos, the four-year-old mare has headed to the races 14 times, with fourth placings in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and Listed Flying Handicap (1400m), capped off by a last-start third in the Listed ANZAC Mile (1600m).
The Wanganui feature was Bedtime Story’s first attempt over the mile distance and Lowry couldn’t have been happier with her effort, finishing just a half-length from the winner in Khafre.
“It was very good, I thought she acquitted herself very well in her first time at a mile,” he said.
“She pulled up very well and we’re happy with her, so we’ll give her the opportunity on Saturday to try and get some more black-type. She’s racing well in good heart and has won on a rain-affected track, I’m not saying she can handle a heavy, heavy track, but she certainly doesn’t mind getting her toe in.
“She’ll drop back to 1400m on Saturday, but it’ll be like a mile.”
The daughter of Per Incanto will head north from Hastings with Anaroa, a winner over 1300m earlier in the year taking on The Rotorua Club (1400m).
“The 1400 will suit him nicely and I don’t think the rain will worry him,” Lowry said.
The stable also have accepted with three runners at Wanganui on Sunday, but a wide barrier draw may set back a debut for No Trumps.
“I see we’re drawn off the track so it’s a question mark whether we will start from that wide to be fair,” Lowry said.
“But he’s a horse that has trialled well and we’ll see what the weather does.”
The Ace High three-year-old is a potential starter in the NZB Mega Maiden Series (1300m), while his stablemate Snowflake will take her place off a spell. “She’s going very well, I think she’ll be pretty competitive,” Lowry said.