Tavis Court (NZ) (Tavistock) looks to have found his niche in small fields, and trainer Anna Clement has found him another intimate contest on Saturday.
The 10-year-old gelding had just three other rivals when winning over 1200m at Hawera two starts back before finishing runner-up against five competitors over 1100m at Otaki a fortnight ago.
He will face four opponents in the Paslode Open (1400m) at New Plymouth on Saturday, including local Group One winner Ladies Man (NZ) (Zed), who has been lumbered with a 66kg impost.
Tavis Court has 11 victories to his credit, but will carry just 54kg this weekend, and Clement said she couldn’t be any happier with her charge ahead of Saturday.
“He has been going really well, I am really happy with him,” she said.
“He hasn’t missed a beat, he has licked the bowl clean every night and he’s galloped well. He seems to like the New Plymouth track as well.”
Tavis Court will jump from barrier three on Saturday and Clement is hoping he can get a soft run from that draw.
“We’ll see how he jumps and hopefully he can sit behind Chajaba (NZ) (Keano) because he will probably go to the front, and hopefully the rider can make him run home like he has been,” she said.
Stablemate Wheelitin (NZ) (Wheelitin) heads into the meeting in winning form, having won over a mile at Hawera last Sunday, bouncing back from a last-placed performance at Otaki last month.
“We found out she had a couple of niggly problems in her last two starts, so we have rectified those and she came out and won, so we must have done the right thing,” Clement said.
Clement has been pleased with the way she has come through her weekend victory and expects the daughter of Ekraar to be competitive in the Makita Open 1800m on Saturday.
“She has worked on well since her win and is eating well,” she said.
Clement’s representation at the meeting will be rounded out by last-start placegetter Cocktail Lad (NZ) (Belardo) in the James Hardie R65 2000m.
The seven-year-old son of Belardo has mixed his form over winter, and Clement is hoping he can break that sequence this weekend when he teams up once again with apprentice jockey Jim Chung.
“He has been a little bit disappointing,” Clement said. “He is a bit of a quirky horse to ride. He will either like you or he doesn’t, and he has decided that he likes Jimmy Chung, so we will put him on again and see what happens.”