Dual Group One winner Ladies Man (NZ) (Zed) returned to the trials at Foxton on Tuesday and is on track for another Group One spring preparation.
Trainer Allan Sharrock was pleased with the rising eight-year-olds 1000m hit-out and he said he received positive feedback from senior hoop Kelly Myers.
“He went a nice trial and Kelly said he felt well,” Sharrock said. “He has only had three quiet gallops, so he was always going to blow out, but it’s onwards and upwards.”
The son of Zed scored his first elite-level scalp in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) two years ago, and the spring feature is once again on his radar.
“I will nominate him for the mile (previously known as the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate) and the 2000m (previously known as the Livamol Classic),” Sharrock said.
“He will probably have a run before the mile, possibly at New Plymouth. He has won a Livamol before. We are all up in the air with the change in venues, but I am really happy with him so we will head towards those Group Ones.”.
Looking ahead to the weekend, Sharrock will be well represented at Te Rapa and Otaki on Saturday.
His Te Rapa charge will be led by Lazio (NZ) (Per Incanto), who will tackle the Woods Contracting 1300 after finishing runner-up to Tavis Court (NZ) (Tavistock) at Hawera last week.
He was subsequently withdrawn from last Saturday’s Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) at New Plymouth, and Sharrock is hoping he can bounce back to winning form this weekend.
“His race (Opunake Cup) was too close with the Hawera venue being moved back,” Sharrock said. “He disappointed me a wee bit and may improve with the run, his work suggests he has.
“I have put a set of blinkers on him and I think it is a race he will be more than competitive in.”
Stablemate Indian Gold (NZ) (Ocean Park) was runner-up over 1300m at Te Rapa last start and Sharrock has chosen to return to the Hamilton venue with the gelding to contest the Thanks For Your Support Stu Browne & Family Mile (1600m) after bypassing his home meeting last weekend.
“Indian Gold flew home last start there,” Sharrock said. “He had an acceptance at New Plymouth, and I just couldn’t get a suitable rider and the track looked like it was going to be bottomless as it played, and I think we made the right call.
“He is going to be hard to beat.”
Sharrock’s Te Rapa contingent will be rounded out by Tisse (NZ) (Belardo) and Confetti (NZ) (Ocean Park) in the Bob & Colleen Donaldson Memorial Mile (1600m).
“Tisse is a very tidy horse and on better track conditions at Te Rapa, if I can find a nice senior, he will be competitive,” he said.
Further south, Sharrock will be represented by a trio of runners at Otaki, including last start runner-up Bella Timing (NZ) (Time Test) in the DG Farriers Handicap (1200m).
“She went super last start and cousin Gavin (Sharrock) beat me with a tidy horse (Vibration) that came out and won its next start as well,” Sharrock said. “She is going to be very hard to beat in a race like that.
Stablemate I Don’t (NZ) (Savabeel) takes two placings into the Quality Keys Handicap (1400m), and Sharrock hopes the addition of some gear will lead to an improved result.
“She hasn’t had a lot of luck,” he said. “I am going to put a set of blinkers on her and she will be competitive.”
Last start winner Swingit Our Way (NZ) (Zed) will step up into open company for the first time in the Levin Truck Services Handicap (1600m), and Sharrock is confident of another bold performance.
“I could have run her at New Plymouth (last Saturday), but she had 58.5kg and that would have meant having to put a claimer on, so I elected to wait until Otaki and put Chris Dell back on,” he said.
“She is a genuine mare and will be looking to go further after this one, but she is still going to be competitive at Otaki over a mile.”
Sharrock is knocking on the door of 50 wins this season, and just needs one victory to meet the mark, which he is hoping he can achieve this week.
“It would be nice to get the 50,” said Sharrock, who has set a new season’s best of $1.6 million in prizemoney. “I am proud of probably having the best strike-rate in the top 10 trainers. To run in the top 10 is always good. The stake money has been good, so all in all it has been a good season.”