Trainers Kevin and Stephen Gray are excited for what the summer has instore for Silent Is Gold (Star Turn) following his pleasing trial win over 850m at Foxton on Tuesday.
A stakes performer in Singapore, the son of Star Turn came to New Zealand with Stephen Gray when racing ceased in that jurisdiction, and resumed in his adopted homeland in January following a 10-month break.
He made an instant impact in New Zealand, placing in three races before winning over 1350m at Wanganui in April.
Stephen Gray has been pleased with the way he has returned this time in and he was buoyed by his trial following an extended spell.
“We gave him a good spell after his last campaign, so he was a little bit fatter than usual, but I thought he trialled well and he has come up well,” Gray said.
“We will be looking at the sprints around the New Year. The biggest problem for him is he gets a bit of weight, so we have got to find something that pushes his weight down a bit.
“He will have another jumpout in a couple of weeks and then we will go to the races somewhere.”
Stablemates Hard Too Think, Cooper and Top Of The Pack also won their trials over 1000m.
“Hard Too Think was coming up really well last year and then he had a little chip we had to take out of his fetlock joint,” Gray said. “It was unfortunate because he had two good runs back and then he went a little bit lame, so we took the chip out and he has had eight months to recover.
“He did trial very well, he is a very good galloper, so if he can get his form back, I am sure we will pick up a nice race around New Year’s.
“Top of The Pack is a nice Ace High filly that we like that won well and Cooper was really good.”
Gray also has high hopes for unbeaten four-year-old Microphone gelding Dazz, who placed in his 1000m heat.
“I have got a lot of time for him, he is a nice horse,” Gray said. “He had one start for one win last year and he was meant to be sold to Hong Kong, but the deal fell through.”
Meanwhile, Gray is looking forward to heading to Waverley on Friday with a seven-strong team.
Five-win mare Idyllic (No Nay Never) will commence her campaign towards some black-type targets in the Moore Markham – Waverley (1200m) where she will be met by stablemate Cosentino, who will also be presented in a fresh state.
“Idyllic has done really well and she will improve,” Gray said. “She will head to the Levin Stakes after this, she won that last year, and we would like to head up to Ellerslie after that to try and get a bit of black-type with her.
“She trialled quite well and she galloped well this (Tuesday) morning, but she might just want a run to bring her on. She loves those tight-turning tracks, so she will run a good race.
“Cosentino (NZ) (El Roca) is a lovely, promising horse too. He won the final of the poly (championship). We have just had to slow him down a bit mentally, he was getting a bit wound up as the poly racing can wind them up because they have got to run fast. I think he will need the run, but he is a very promising horse.”
Gray is also upbeat about the chances of Toronto in the Bull Pen Powder – Brendan Attrill (1200m) and Exaggeration in the TRACMAC (1400m).
“Toronto is a very promising horse,” he said. “Exaggeration is a lovely horse and he has got really good poly form. On the grass I think he is going to get a mile to 2000m. He has had a couple of trials but he might just need a run.”
Looking ahead to Sunday, Gray will take three runners to Waipukurau, including So We Go (NZ) (Embellish), a full-brother to Group One performer Luberon, in the Waipawa Butchery Maiden (1200m).
The son of Embellish disappointed when finishing last over 1200m on debut at Waverley in September and Gray is hoping for an improved performance fresh-up.
“So We Go is a horse we really like a lot,” he said. “He has shown so much promise.
“He was really disappointing at Waverley first-up. He just got shuffled back and I think he lost his way. We are going back to 1200m fresh-up.”
Gray is also expecting a strong showing from Loose Jewels (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) in the Remember “Jooky” Three-Year-Old Maiden (1600m) following his fresh-up placing over a mile at Woodville earlier this month.
“Loose Jewels was also disappointing on the same day (at Waverley in September), but he went a really good race at Woodville, and I like him a lot,” he said. “I think he is going to be a lovely mile to 2000m horse and I think he will be hard to beat.”